Bobby Okereke
American football player (born 1996)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Robert Nnanna Okereke (/oʊkərəˈkeɪ/ oh-kər-ə-KAY;[1] born July 29, 1996) is an American professional football linebacker. He played college football for the Stanford Cardinal and was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft.[2]
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Santa Ana, California, U.S.
Okereke with the Indianapolis Colts in 2022 | |||||||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Linebacker | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | July 29, 1996 Santa Ana, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 235 lb (107 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | Foothill (Santa Ana) | ||||||||||||||
| College | Stanford (2014–2018) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2019: 3rd round, 89th overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of 2025 | |||||||||||||||
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Early life
Okereke was born in Santa Ana, California to parents who emigrated from Nigeria.[3] At age 16, he became an Eagle Scout with Troop 243.[4] He attended and played high school football at Foothill High School.[5]
College career
Okereke attended and played college football at Stanford University. He redshirted as a freshman in 2014.[6] He contributed on the field from 2015 to 2018. He recorded 227 total tackles (20.0 were for loss), 10.5 sacks, one interception (a 52-yard pick-six), eight passes defensed, one fumble recovery, and three forced fumbles.[7] He was named Pac-12 Honorable Mention in 2017[8] and 2018.[9]
College statistics
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solo | Ast | Tot | Loss | Sk | Int | Yds | Avg | TD | PD | FR | Yds | TD | FF | ||||||
| 2015 | Stanford | Pac-12 | SO | LB | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | Stanford | Pac-12 | JR | LB | 12 | 12 | 27 | 39 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | Stanford | Pac-12 | SR | LB | 13 | 56 | 32 | 88 | 8.5 | 4.0 | 1 | 52 | 52.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2018 | Stanford | Pac-12 | SR | LB | 13 | 52 | 42 | 94 | 7.5 | 3.5 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Career | 44 | 122 | 105 | 227 | 20.0 | 10.5 | 1 | 52 | 52.0 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||||
Professional career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wingspan | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 1+3⁄8 in (1.86 m) | 239 lb (108 kg) | 34+1⁄2 in (0.88 m) | 10+1⁄8 in (0.26 m) | 6 ft 10+5⁄8 in (2.10 m) | 4.58 s | 1.61 s | 2.67 s | 4.26 s | 7.02 s | 33.5 in (0.85 m) | 10 ft 2 in (3.10 m) | 16 reps |
| All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[10][11] | ||||||||||||
Indianapolis Colts
Okereke was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round (89th overall) of the 2019 NFL draft.[12] The pick was announced by former Colts punter Pat McAfee. He made his NFL debut in the season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers.[13] He earned his first career start in Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons.[14] In Week 13 against the Tennessee Titans, Okereke recorded a strip sack on Ryan Tannehill which was recovered by teammate Justin Houston in the 31–17 loss. This was Okereke's first career sack in the NFL.[15] In the 2019 season, he recorded one sack, 65 total tackles, two passes defended, and two forced fumbles.[16]
In Week 5 of the 2020 season against the Cleveland Browns, Okereke recorded his first career interception off a pass thrown by Baker Mayfield during the 32–23 loss.[17] In the 2020 season, he recorded 72 total tackles, one interception, and six passes defended.[18]
In the 2021 season, Okereke started in all 17 games. He finished with one sack, 132 total tackles, two interceptions, and four passes defended.[19]
In the 2022 season, Okereke started in all 17 games. He finished with 151 total tackles, five passes defended, and two forced fumbles.[20]
New York Giants
On March 16, 2023, Okereke signed a four-year contract with the New York Giants.[21][22] In the 2023 NFL season, he recorded 149 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions, and 10 passes defensed.[23] Okereke, along with teammate Xavier McKinney, were the only defenders in the NFL to not miss a snap in the entire season.[24] In the 2024 season, he had two sacks, 93 tackles, three passes defended, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.[25]
During Week 18 of the 2025 season, Okereke was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his two turnovers that lead to 10 points and a 34–17 Giants win over the Dallas Cowboys.[26] Okereke finished 2025 with a team-leading 143 tackles.[27] On March 4, 2026, Okereke was released by the Giants.[28]
NFL career statistics
Regular season
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | TFL | QBHits | PD | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | ||
| 2019 | IND | 16 | 8 | 65 | 48 | 17 | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | IND | 14 | 8 | 72 | 57 | 15 | 0.0 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 0 |
| 2021 | IND | 17 | 17 | 132 | 89 | 43 | 1.0 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | IND | 17 | 16 | 151 | 99 | 52 | 0.0 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | NYG | 17 | 17 | 149 | 92 | 57 | 2.5 | 11 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 62 | 31.0 | 55 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | NYG | 12 | 12 | 93 | 47 | 46 | 2.0 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | NYG | 17 | 17 | 143 | 78 | 65 | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 54 | 27 | 47 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 110 | 95 | 805 | 510 | 295 | 7.5 | 34 | 13 | 36 | 7 | 143 | 20.4 | 55 | 0 | 11 | 8 | 12 | 0 | |
Postseason
Controversies
Okereke was the subject of a sexual assault investigation at Stanford in 2015. Three members of the university's five-person investigative panel concluded Okereke committed sexual assault, but the ruling didn't cross the 4-1 threshold necessary to pursue further punitive action.[29] Okereke has maintained that the allegations are untrue.[30]
