Lawrence Okoye was was tossing the discuss at the Olympic Games last summer, and now he has caught the eye of multiple NFL teams. The 6'6, 304-pound track and field and rugby star has never played organized football, but he is taking visits with the 49ers and Saints, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
NFL Draft 2013: Olympian Lawrence Okoye visits with 49ers, will see Saints
Lawrence Okoye is attempting to make the transition from the Olympics to the NFL. He has the measurables but still has work to do.
Michael Steele
Okoye showed off his athleticism this week at the Super Regional Combine, a scouting event for fringe draft prospects. He ran an impressive 4.78 40-yard dash and put up a 35-inch vertical leap, per Bucky Brooks of NFL.com. He’s also the British record holder in the discuss throw, so there’s no denying his strength. Okoye is likely to go undrafted or taken in the seventh round.
At just 21 years old, Okoye has time to develop. David Fucillo of Niners Nation believes that the 49ers have enough roster depth to take on Okoye and let him work on technical skills. With that sort of size and athleticism, Okoye could be a versatile defensive lineman capable of playing on the outside and inside. He is surely raw, but would be low-risk with potentially high rewards for any NFL club willing to take a flier on the former Olympian.
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