From Lagos to Los Angeles: The Journey of Praise Olatoke
Praise Olatoke has charted an improbable path from the bustling streets of Lagos, Nigeria, to the competitive rosters of the NFL. Born in Lagos, Olatoke's early life took a significant turn when his family moved to Scotland when he was just five years old. It was in Scotland that Olatoke first dipped his toes into the athletic world, focusing initially on track events. His prowess on the track eventually earned him a scholarship to Trinity Western in Canada, setting the stage for what would become a truly global athletic journey.
In 2021, Olatoke’s journey took another turn when he relocated to Ohio State University in the United States. It was here that he spent two seasons with the Buckeyes track team, though his journey was not without setbacks. A torn Achilles tendon at Ohio State was a significant hurdle in his athletic career, a challenge that many would find insurmountable.
However, Olatoke's introduction to football came somewhat serendipitously through club football at Ohio State. "I never played NCAA football," Olatoke reflects. "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?" This humble beginning in a sport radically different from the track and field events he was accustomed to did not deter him. Instead, it planted the seed for a new passion.
After his stint with Ohio State's club football team, Olatoke had a moment that would change his life—it came in the form of a 65-yard touchdown pass against Michigan State. This standout moment highlighted his raw talent and spurred his involvement in the NFL International Player Pathway Program (IPPP). This program aims to identify and develop international talent for the NFL, and it was through this initiative that Olatoke’s football dreams began to materialize.
Following his participation in the IPPP, Olatoke trained at IMG Academy, a prestigious training facility known for honing elite athletes. Here, he caught the eye of the Los Angeles Chargers who subsequently invited him to their minicamp. But this wasn't his first brush with the NFL; the Philadelphia Eagles had also taken notice and invited him to their rookie minicamp. "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," Olatoke recalls.
Despite the setback with the Eagles, the Chargers saw potential in Olatoke. "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,” says Olatoke, describing the uncertainty that clouded this opportunity. The pivotal moment came on the last day of the minicamp. "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.'" It was a whirlwind, and within hours, Olatoke had gone from being a hopeful to signing a contract with the Chargers.
The Chargers' faith in him is significant, especially considering their recent struggles—they finished last season with a 5-12 record. Olatoke is now one of two players from the IPPP in the Chargers’ ranks, alongside CJ Okoye. The team’s rebuilding phase offers Olatoke an opportunity to establish himself amid a restructuring franchise. “I think the statistic is one out of every 300,000 or 400,000 high school kids in the U.S. make it to the league,” Olatoke acknowledges, aware of the odds he’s defied. His meteoric rise is a testament to talent meeting opportunity at the right moment.
Through it all, Olatoke remains grounded yet ambitious. "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. But luck is only part of the story. Hard work, perseverance, and an unyielding belief in his abilities propelled him forward. "If you want it bad enough, I think you can always make things fall your way. You can create your own luck essentially," Olatoke believes.
As he steps onto the field in Los Angeles, Praise Olatoke’s story is far from over. It’s a narrative of resilience, adaptability, and the relentless pursuit of dreams, a journey that began half a world away.