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Olakunle Fatukasi

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Olakunle Fatukasi
St. Louis Battlehawks
Position:Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1999-06-11) June 11, 1999 (age 25)
Far Rockaway, New York, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
High school:Grand Street Campus
(Brooklyn, New York)
College:Rutgers (2017–2021)
Undrafted:2022
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2023
Total tackles:7
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Olakunle Fatukasi (born June 11, 1999) is an American professional football linebacker for the St. Louis Battlehawks of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football at Rutgers.

College career

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Fatukasi committed to Rutgers as a three star recruit[1] in 2016 as a part of their 2017 class. In His freshman year, he appeared in all twelve of Rutgers’ games. In 2018 he appeared in eleven games compiling twenty tackles between linebacker and special teams. In 2019 he contributed in all twelve games Rutgers played starting ten of them at weak-side linebacker. In the covid season of 2020 his first under Greg Schiano, Fatukasi was named a team captain. He started all nine games and led the Big Ten Conference in tackles. At one point during the season he was named the Big Ten Co-Defensive player of the week.[citation needed] He was named as a semifinalists for the Butkus Award and earned First-team All-Big Ten from the media and second-team from the coaches. He came back to Rutgers for the 2021 season,[2][3][4] due to the NCAA COVID-19 exemption.[5] It was announced he would be switching from outside to inside linebacker for the 2021 season. He finished the 2021 season named third-team all Big Ten even though he missed multiple games due to injury.

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 1+1⁄4 in
(1.86 m) 		234 lb
(106 kg) 		32+7⁄8 in
(0.84 m) 		9+1⁄2 in
(0.24 m)		 4.79 s 1.63 s 2.78 s 4.36 s 6.76 s 38.0 in
(0.97 m)		 10 ft 2 in
(3.10 m)		 21 reps
All values from Pro Day[6]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Fatukasi signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent on May 13, 2022.[7] He made the Buccaneers' initial 53-man roster out of training camp. He played in 13 games before being waived on December 13, 2022.[8]

Denver Broncos

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On December 16, 2022, Fatukasi was signed to the practice squad of the Denver Broncos.[9] On January 11, 2023, Fatukasi was released by the Broncos.[10]

New England Patriots

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On January 18, 2023, Fatukasi signed a reserve/future contract with the New England Patriots.[11] On August 12, Fatukasi was waived by the Patriots.[12]

Kansas City Chiefs

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On August 15, 2023, Fatukasi signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.[13] He was waived with injury designation on August 29. He reverted to the Chiefs' injured reserve after going unclaimed on waivers.[14] On September 1, he was released from injured reserve after reaching an injury settlement with the Chiefs.[15]

Los Angeles Rams

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Fatukasi signed with the Los Angeles Rams practice squad on October 11, 2023.[16] He signed a reserve/future contract on January 15, 2024.[17]

Fatukasi was waived on August 25, 2024.[18]

St. Louis Battlehawks

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On December 4, 2024, Fatukasi signed with the St. Louis Battlehawks of the United Football League (UFL). [19]

Personal life

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Fatukasi is of Nigerian descent. He has two brothers, his younger brother Tunde, previously played at Rutgers and now plays at Bowling Green.[20] His older brother, Folorunso played football at UConn and currently plays for the Houston Texans.[21][22] He has his own t-shirt company called O3.

References

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  1. ^ "Olakunle Fatukasi, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Linebacker". 247Sports. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  2. ^ Harvey, Kayla (July 5, 2021). "Rutgers' Olakunle Fatukasi, the Big Ten's top returning tackler, out to disrupt Ohio State's offense: Buckeyes' best opponents, No. 16". cleveland.com. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  3. ^ Sargeant, Keith (February 23, 2021). "Here's the 'unfinished business' that led Rutgers linebacker Olakunle Fatukasi to put off the NFL for another year". NJ.com. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  4. ^ Breitman, Aaron (December 22, 2020). "Olakunle Fatukasi returns to Rutgers for next season". On the Banks. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  5. ^ Patuto, Greg (July 19, 2021). "Olakunle Fatukasi named to Bednarik Award Watch List". On the Banks. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  6. ^ "2022 Draft Scout Olakunle Fatukasi, Rutgers NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile". draftscout.com. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  7. ^ Smith, Scott (May 13, 2022). "Bucs Add 13 More Rookies from Undrafted Ranks". Buccaneers.com. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  8. ^ Smith, Scott (December 13, 2022). "Bucs Waive Rookie LB Olakunle Fatukasi". Buccaneers.com. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  9. ^ Comeaux, Jonathan (December 16, 2022). "Broncos Signed LB Olakunle Fatukasi To Practice Squad". NFLTradeRumors.co. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  10. ^ "Broncos Make Four Roster Moves". yardbarker.com. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  11. ^ "Patriots sign linebacker Olakunle Fatukasi to a future contract". Patriots.com. January 18, 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  12. ^ "Patriots Make A Series of Transactions". Patriots.com. August 12, 2023. Retrieved August 12, 2023.
  13. ^ "Chiefs put Jody Fortson on IR, make 3 other roster moves on Tuesday". Arrowhead Pride. SB Nation. August 15, 2023.
  14. ^ "Chiefs 2023 Roster Down to NFL-Mandated 53". Chiefs.com.
  15. ^ "Olakunle Fatukasi: Let go by KC". CBSSports.com.
  16. ^ DaSilva, Cameron (October 11, 2023). "Rams sign LB Olakunle Fatukasi to practice squad". Rams Wire. USA Today. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  17. ^ Jackson, Stu (January 15, 2024). "Rams sign 10 players to Reserve/Future contracts". TheRams.com.
  18. ^ Jackson, Stu (August 25, 2024). "Rams waive 10 players and release Boston Scott and Carlos Watkins ahead of 2024 53-man roster deadline". TheRams.com.
  19. ^ "UFL Transactions". UFLBoard.com. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  20. ^ Nalwasky, Chris (October 23, 2020). "Rutgers Football brothers Bo Melton excited to play with brother Malachi Melton". TheKnightReport. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  21. ^ Ryan, Chris (December 17, 2020). "Jets place Folorunso Fatukasi, brother of Rutgers' Olakunle Fatukasi, on COVID-19 list | What it means". NJ.com. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  22. ^ Cannizzaro, Mark (November 28, 2020). "Fatukasi brothers living their dreams with Jets, Rutgers in unique times". New York Post. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
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