The 18-year-old Nigerian had not stepped on to an American football field until 12 months ago, but he has just taken a huge leap towards a potential NFL career after being recruited by the University of Tennessee.
His journey to Knoxville has been a dizzying one. He was scouted during a basketball training camp in Lagos, then given a chance to impress in an NFL Africa camp in Ghana before being fast-tracked to the NFL’s Academy in rural Leicestershire.
“It’s happened so fast,” Okoye told BBC East Midlands Today.
“I’ve just had to take it in. I can’t take it as so much of a surprise, because I might be knock
