Praise Olatoke's Journey from Lagos to the NFL: A Tale of Perseverance and Opportunity
Praise Olatoke's path to professional football is a story marked by resilience, adaptability, and a series of serendipitous turns. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Olatoke's journey began when his family relocated to Scotland when he was just five years old. Like many athletes, his early career was rooted in track and field, showcasing his raw speed and athletic prowess.
Olatoke's talent on the track earned him a scholarship to Canada's Trinity Western University, but by 2021, he found himself transferring to Ohio State University. There, he spent two seasons with the Buckeyes track team, demonstrating that his athletic abilities were not confined to one venue. However, his time at Ohio State was not without challenges. A torn Achilles tendon sidelined him during one season, a setback that might have ended the dreams of a lesser athlete. But for Olatoke, it was merely a detour.
Interestingly, it was at Ohio State where Olatoke first encountered American football, albeit not in the NCAA's spotlight. "I never played NCAA football. The club football is just guys who come together to play football and enjoy a Saturday morning. That's really it. It might be 15, 20 people in a crowd. There could be 50. Who knows?" he recalls. Despite not having the collegiate football experience, Olatoke managed to leave a mark, catching a 65-yard touchdown pass against Michigan State—a preview of his latent potential on the gridiron.
Olatoke's big break came through the NFL International Player Pathway Program (IPPP), which provides international athletes with the opportunity to compete in the NFL. His journey through the program included a stint at IMG Academy, leading to his allocation to the Los Angeles Chargers. But before solidifying his place, Olatoke attended the Philadelphia Eagles' rookie minicamp. The experience, while invaluable, did not culminate in a contract offer. "After the IPP and stuff, there were a couple of teams that reached out. One of them, obviously, was the Eagles. I went to their rookie minicamp, but that didn't work out," he says.
Not one to be easily deterred, Olatoke soon received another opportunity when the Chargers invited him to their minicamp. Initially, the invitation seemed uncertain. "A few weeks later, the Chargers reached out to me and said, ‘Hey, we would be interested in bringing you out to our minicamp’. At first, I wasn't sure what was going on because they only sent me a one-way ticket," he explains. What started as a tentative invite turned into a life-changing moment. "On the last day—which was a Thursday—one of the staff said, ‘Hey, you've got a meeting with the GM’. I walked in and saw the GM. There were a couple of other people there, and they basically said: ‘We like you. We think we're going to take a chance on you, so if you're up for it and you're willing to work, we're going to sign you.’ There and then, within an hour and a half or so, they offered me a contract, and I'm a Charger."
Praise Olatoke's steely determination and unyielding spirit have brought him to the precipice of an NFL career. The Los Angeles Chargers, a team that finished 5-12 last season, see promise in Olatoke and another IPPP participant, CJ Okoye. The road has not been straightforward, but Olatoke acknowledges the blend of fortune and hard work that has characterized his journey. "I'm not going to deny that I got lucky to be in this situation. So many different dominoes had to fall my way," he admits. Yet, his story is a testament to creating one’s luck through sheer willpower and perseverance. "If you want it bad enough, I think you can always make things fall your way. You can create your own luck essentially."
Supported by friends like former Wales rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit, Olatoke remains grounded and focused as he embarks on this next chapter. His unusual path to the NFL underscores the myriad ways talent can be discovered and nurtured, even outside the conventional pipelines of collegiate football. As Praise Olatoke lines up for the Chargers in the upcoming season, his journey from Lagos to Los Angeles serves as an inspiring reminder of the endless possibilities in the world of sports.