For many seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, Jaguars star Foyesade Oluokun showcased his immense talent. Fans and general managers across the league were hoping that their team would acquire the star linebacker in free agency. Oluokun chose to go to Jacksonville, signing a three-year, $45 million deal to become the Jaguars leading linebacker.
Since then, Foyesade Oluokun has become the centerpiece in the Jaguars’ defense, where he’s taken his game to new levels that the Jaguars haven’t had from the linebacker position since Paul Posluszny retired. With the Jaguars’ future at linebacker in good hands, it’s important to look at how the Jaguars star managed to find his way to Jacksonville. The 28-year-old has had an unconventional path to stardom, but Oluokun has more than cemented himself as one of the NFL’s elite linebackers in 2023.
The Jaguars Star Linebacker: Foyesade Oluokun
Former Yale Bulldogs LB Foyesade Oluokun (23) – Paul Williams/Icon Sportswire
Coming from St. Louis Missouri, Oluokun eventually found his way to Yale, where he initially started as a safety, until he eventually moved closer to the line of scrimmage and became a linebacker. In his first two seasons at Yale, Oluokun was named a second-team all-conference pick. After suffering an injury in 2015, Oluokun got one more year of eligibility.
In his final collegiate season, Foyesade Oluokun earned second-team All-Ivy League honors. The future Jaguars star was playing his best football in his senior year and did enough to be a consideration for teams across the league in the 2018 NFL draft. But Oluokun wasn’t a highly touted prospect. NFL.com gave Oluokun a 5.60 draft grade, with the distinction that he would be a “Candidate For Bottom Of Roster Or Practice Squad”.
NFL draft day came, and for Oluokum, his dream came to fruition in the sixth round, with the 200th overall pick from the Atlanta Falcons. Once the Falcons took the former Yale Bulldog, things began to settle in for Oluokun. In 2018 as a rookie, Foyesade Oluokun gathered 93 tackles, 56 solo, along with two tackles for loss. His sophomore season didn’t go as well, only getting 62 total tackles across the season. But, in 2020, Foyesade Oluokun broke out in a big way.
In his newfound starting role, Oluokun had 117 total tackles, 78 of which were solo, to go with his first two interceptions in the NFL. He also had four forced fumbles and had three sacks. Oluokun was just getting started as well. The season leading up to his free agency, where he’d eventually go to become the Jaguars star linebacker, Oluokun had a monstrous season. Oluokun had 192 total tackles in 2021 to go with three interceptions and two sacks.
After truly breaking out, he was highly regarded in free agency, where the Jaguars spent $45 million on Oluokun to find their off-ball linebacker of the future. And so far, through one and a half seasons with the Jaguars, Oluokun has been more than just the Jaguars star linebacker.
Foyesade Oluokun’s Impact in 2023
Jacksonville Jaguars LB Foyesade Oluokun (23) – Corey Perrine/Florida times-Union
Now that the story of Oluokun is in place, it’s important to look at his time in Jacksonville, and how much of an impact Oluokun has on a Jaguars team that has deep playoff aspirations. In his first season as the Jaguars star linebacker, Oluokun put together one of the best seasons from a linebacker in NFL history.
In 2022, Foyesade Oluokun had 128 solo tackles, which was far and away the most in the NFL in 2022. Not only did he pace the field in solo tackles, but 128 solo tackles were also enough for him to be ranked 4th all-time for solo tackles in a season. His company? Ray Lewis twice in 1997 with 156, and 1999 with 130 solo tackles, good for first and third all-time respectively; Patrick Willis in 2007 in second with 136; and Johnathan Vilma in 2005 tied with Oluokun’s 128 solo tackles.
When 2023 came around, Oluokun was once again expected to lead the linebacker room, mentoring Devin Lloyd and Chad Muma. In his second season with the Jaguars, Oluokun has more than picked up where he left off.
Foyesade Oluokun is second in the NFL in solo tackles with 68, and fourth in total tackles with 101 in 2023 according to Pro Football Reference. Through nine games, the Jaguars star linebacker has seven tackles for loss, two sacks, and one forced fumble. But there’s one thing that Oluokun did in 2023 that he hasn’t done in his impressive career.
In the Jaguars’ first primetime game of the season, Foyesade Oluokun had an incredible pick-six. It’s the only interception of the season for Oluokun in 2023, but he made it count. The pick-six is his only touchdown in his NFL career.
Another facet of his game is his impressive versatility. Many players have one or two aspects of their play that they’re elite at but rarely are players great at multiple facets like Foyesade Oluokun. In 2023, the Jaguars star linebacker is extremely versatile. The best example of Oluokun’s versatility is by looking at his PFF grades compared to his fellow linebackers.
Among all linebackers with the minimum amount of snaps according to PFF, Foyesade Oluokun has a top 10 defensive grade, a top 10 coverage grade, a top 20 pass rush grade, a top 25 tackling grade, and a top 20 run defensive grade. His balance and versatility are part of what makes Oluokun a star for the Jaguars.
The Jaguars star linebacker has the tools and stats to back up the case for Oluokun being one of the best linebackers in the NFL. While the Jaguars have some more eye-catching names on both sides of the ball, Foyesade Oluokun is one of the most important players on a Jaguars team heading towards back-to-back playoff runs.
Final Thoughts on Foyesade Oluokun
Jacksonville Jaguars LB Foyesade Oluokun (23) – Bob Self/Florida Times-Union
Making the argument that Foyesade Oluokun is one of, if not the best, linebackers in the NFL is very fair. Not many linebackers can lay claim to the versatility that Oluokun has. Being capable of pressuring the quarterback, while also being a quality player in coverage is a rare trait for any player. As the Jaguars star linebacker, Oluokun is not only capable of doing both, but he’s also making tackles on his own, unlike any other player.
Most fans around the league may have never heard about Oluokun, or at least haven’t fully grasped how great Oluokun has been in his NFL career. With the Jaguars getting more attention thanks to playoff success, Oluokun will be garnering more attention from audiences around the NFL.
The Jaguars star linebacker deserves more time in the spotlight with how much he contributes to the defense. Not many times is an off-ball linebacker a team’s MVP, but Foyesade Oluokun more than makes the case through his play. Even in blowouts, he still manages to slay the competition.
Foyesade Oluokun is the Jaguars star, the Jaguars MVP, and he’s deserving of being mentioned amongst the NFL’s elite linebackers, and overall defenders in 2023. As the rest of the 2023 NFL season continues, Foyesade Oluokun will continue to be a game-changer for the Jaguars’ defense. Keep an eye out for Oluokun, as he continues his quiet dominance on an ascending franchise in the NFL.
