We continue with our training camp previews for the Indianapolis Colts, this time looking at one of the more intriguing additions to the linebacker corps.
Name: Bobby Okereke
Position: LB
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 235
Age: 22
Year Drafted: 2019 (third round)
Background
A third-round pick with the Colts in the 2019 draft, Okereke is a promising addition to a linebacker corps that needed an infusion of young depth behind All-Pro Darius Leonard.
Working mostly on the inside, Okereke led Stanford with 96 tackles (52 solo) while also racking up 7.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and five passes defended during the 2018 season.
2019 Outlook
While the Colts know what they have in Leonard, they will be keeping a keen eye on the rest of the linebacker corps to see if any new faces an emerge. If there are any favorites for that to happen, Okereke is one of them.
The 22-year-old is expected to compete for significant snaps at the MIKE linebacker position with third-year linebacker Anthony Walker. How much of a role the rookie will carve out depends on how he shows out in training camp, but there’s a high chance he can at least step into a pass coverage role relatively quickly.
There is also a chance Okereke sees some time at WILL linebacker if need be.
Bottom Line
With a pro comparison of the aforementioned Leonard, Okereke has a high ceiling in the Colts defense. He will be competing with Walker for a significant role in the middle of the unit and will be one of the top rookies to keep an eye on during training camp.
