Did you know that Nigeria have 8 NFL Players in USA?

Nigeria has been home to many top sports professionals over the years across sports such as soccer, athletics, and basketball. One of the sports leagues where Nigerians feature in numbers is the NFL. It’s home to players who were born in Nigeria or who have Nigerian heritage.

We spoke to an NFL betting expert from here that specialize in the New Jersey market, he explained that Nigerians are featuring heavily in famous NFL teams like the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants. He said,

“We’re seeing Nigerian players featuring heavily in betting and that’s no surprise. They’re making a big impression in the NFL and many of them are popular with fans.“

So, who are these Nigerian NFL performers?

Let’s take a closer look at eight of the top names from the country.

Top Nigerian players in the NFL

Player Name                          Team (s)             Achievements and Awards

Odafe Jayson Oweh                 Baltimore Ravens           PFWA All-Rookie Team (2021)                                                                                          First-team All-Big Ten (2020)

Levi Onwuzurike                           Detroit Lions           First-team All-Pac-12 (2019)

Osa Odighizuwa                            Dallas Cowboys          First-team All-Pac-12 (2020)

Ifeatu Melifonwu                          Detroit Lions           Third team All-ACC (2020)

Prince Tega Wanogho                  Philadelphia Eagles

Kansas City Chiefs            Second-Team All-SEC (2019)

Azeez Ojulari                                 New York Giants               Second-team All-SEC (2020)

Temidayo Jordan Odeyingbo      Indianapolis Colts            First-team All-SEC (2020)

Joseph Ossai                       Cincinnati Bengals                        Consensus All-American (2020)                                                                                                                                                            First-team All-Big 12 (2020)

Odafe Jayson Oweh
Current Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker was drafted in the first round in 2021.
He was born in New Jersey to Nigerian parents and played his college career at Penn State where his final season record was 38 tackles in seven games.
At 6’ 5” in height and weighing around 251 lb, Oweh is the perfect size for his playing position.

Levi Onwuzurike
Levi Onwuzurike was born in Allen, Texas of Nigerian heritage.
He played his college career for Washington Huskies and went on to be drafted in the second round in 2021 by Detroit Lions.

Onwuzurike is 6’ 3” in height and weighs around 293 making him the ideal build for his position as defensive end.

Osa Odighizuwa
A native of Dayton Ohio, with a Nigerian background, Osa Odighizuwa was drafted during the third round in 2021. He plays as a defensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys.

Prior to turning pro, Odighizuwa played his college career at UCLA. Since beginning his career with the Dallas Cowboys, he has become an integral part of the team’s defense.
He is a formidable force thanks to his large stature, measuring 6’ 2” in height and weighing around 294 lb.

Ifeatu Melifonwu
Detroit Lions cornerback Ifeatu Melifonwu was drafted in 2021 after playing college football at Syracuse.
He has had problems with a leg injury during his career but is still a valuable player.

As befitting a player with his position on the field, Melifonwu is 6’ 3” tall and weighs around 212 lb.

Prince Tega Wanogho
Prince Tega Wanogho is a Nigerian born offensive tackle who plays for Kansas City Chiefs. Prior to his time at the Chiefs, Wanogho was part of the Philadelphia Eagles team.

He has suffered leg injury issues during his career but is still a formidable force given his 6’ 5”, approximately 309 lb stature.

Azeez Ojulari
New York Giants outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari was born in Georgia, USA but has Nigerian heritage. Prior to his career at the Giants, he played college football for Georgia Bulldogs.

Ojulari is a powerhouse in his position on the field with a stature of 6’ 3” in height and a weight of around 249 lb.

Temidayo Jordan Odeyingbo
Temidayo Jordan Odeyingbo was born in the US to Nigerian parents. He currently plays for the Indianapolis Colts as a defensive end.

Odeyingbo is a big guy at 6’ 6” in height and weighing around 276 lb. This does not stop him from being regarded as a fast player in his position.

Joseph Ossai
Joseph Ossai was born in Nigeria before moving to the USA in 2000 where he played college football for Texas Longhorns.

He began his professional career at the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021 where his opportunities to play have been reduced due to injury.