Originally posted by Kolohe:
Originally posted by LVJay:
Originally posted by RishikeshA:
I remember a Wrestling Champ tried to make it with the Vikings during training camp a few years back. I'm sure somebody out there knows who I'm talking about. I go along with PrimeTime, the Seahawks will take him in an instant if the Niners cut him. I've watched him on Youtube, he's a beast.
Dude did well when he went to MMA (wrestling and MMA has a lot in common). Okoye did olympics/played Rugby... totally different from American football but a couple of things can relate to football and the position(s) he'll play. I'm not saying he'll do better, but I'm just hoping he pans out.
What do you think can transition from rugby to football at the DE position?? I can see if he was playing TE but DE I just don't see it.
Well for starters, since Brock was brought into the discussion, I had to think that Okoye has an upper hand and can grasp it (if at all) sooner than Brock would've if they entered at the same time.
Brock/wrestling is physical, football is physical, but way different... Brock took his skills to MMA which worked well for him because they do a lot of ground work/fighting to begin with in both sports.
Rugby may not have much (or anything at all) to do with him transitioning well to his position/football, but one thing is for sure, they are both team sports and they remain upright instead of getting down and dirty on the floor wearing tights
Also, his olympic (workouts) experience gives him another edge...
"What's already evident is that Okoye has a gift for getting off the line of scrimmage quickly. That is, the explosion needed by a discus thrower translates to bursting off the line of scrimmage as a defensive lineman. He also tried a spin move that was absurdly good for someone his size who just began practicing football on Friday. What also stands out, however, is that Okoye has long - very long - legs. In fact, the only 49er who can compare in leg length is Alex Boone. The challenge for Okoye and mentor Jim Tomsula will be combining his quickness and innate athletic ability with an understanding of leverage."
http://blogs.sacbee.com/49ers/archives/2013/05/kaepernick-watches-bj-daniels-shine-baalke-observes-okoye-in-action.html
I'm not saying that his rugby and/or olympic type workouts will help him transition immensly, but the athleticism he gained from those sports and his natural ability (dude's body is freakish) gives him (at least) a slight edge over a
"Wrestling Champ" .
Also, the fact that this Englishman was accepted at Oxford to study Law tells me that he could learn the playbook (maybe even pretty quick) if he lands a spot on the team.