How Tennessee got freakishly athletic recruit Emmanuel Okoye from NFL Academy in London

Tennessee football went across the pond to get its latest recruit, 4-star edge rusher Emmanuel Okoye from the NFL Academy in London, England.

That’s quite a curveball.

The NFL celebrated Okoye's decision, and UT fans are excited. But they also have questions about how the Vols landed Okoye, a native of Lagos, Nigeria, and his potential in college football.

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Here’s what you need to know about Okoye.

Okoye will be on the 2023 Tennessee team

Okoye, 18, initially was part of the 2024 recruiting class. But he has reclassified to the 2023 class to enroll at Tennessee this summer and be on the team this season. He has already signed his financial aid agreement with Tennessee, a university spokesperson confirmed.

That doesn’t mean Okoye will play in the 2023 season. In fact, his raw skill set and football inexperience suggest that he’s a redshirt candidate. In fall 2022, Okoye played three games for NFL Academy, which was his first experience in organized football. But his development will be fun to watch in preseason practice.

He would've broken NFL Combine records

In the NFL Academy combine, Okoye recorded a 45.5-inch vertical leap and an 11-foot, 3-inch broad jump. Both would be NFL Scouting Combine records for defensive ends.

At the 2023 combine, Georgia’s Nolan Smith broke the event’s record for defensive ends with 41.5-inch vertical leap. UT’s Byron Young had an 11-foot broad jump and a 38-inch vertical leap, which ranked first and second among defensive ends in 2023, respectively.

"I know I'm blessed with physical gifts," Okoye said in a video released by the NFL. "Whatever the NFL record is, I don't really put my mind into that. I just do what I do."

Okoye is 6-foot-5, 230 pounds and has a 7-foot wingspan. He should gain weight and strength in UT’s strength and conditioning program, which could alter those jump measurements.

But his eye-popping athleticism helped get him from Nigeria to England to Knoxville in one year.

Okoye was discovered in Nigeria

Okoye played soccer and basketball in Nigeria.

On the court, he was a high-flying, dunking, shot-blocking player who started playing basketball at 15. Initially, that appeared to be his best shot at becoming a college prospect.

But then former NFL star defensive end Osi Umenyiora and scouts in his “The Uprise” program discovered Okoye in 2022. Okoye was invited to NFL Africa’s talent identification camp in Ghana. His raw athleticism, size and performance earned him a spot in the NFL Academy in London.

The NFL Academy is a pathway program for international student-athletes aged 16 to 19 years old. It uses football to create life-changing opportunities for young people. Okoye will be the eighth NFL Academy player on a college team in the 2023 season.

Okoye experienced America at Vols spring game

In April, Okoye traveled to the United States to take official visits to Tennessee, Southern Cal, Texas Tech and Vanderbilt.

He attended the Orange and White spring game, which drew a crowd of 58,473 – the sixth-largest in the history of UT’s spring game. And Neyland Stadium’s available sections were packed because renovations closed other areas of the facility.

It made quite an impression.

"The (Tennessee) environment was a good place for me to be," Okoye said. "I prayed throughout my decision making for God to direct me to the right one. He led my heart to Tennessee, so I'm grateful for that."

Okoye trimmed his options to three schools, dropping Vanderbilt from the list. On Wednesday, he announced his decision to come to Tennessee.

His position at Tennessee hasn’t been determined yet

Okoye played defensive end and on special teams in NFL Academy games.

Tennessee identified his position as athlete because it could keep him at defensive end or move him to tight end. Either way, Okoye is a developmental player.

He has a lot to learn about the basics of football. And then he must pick up the intricacies of the sport to compete at the college level. So don’t expect to see Okoye playing on Saturdays anytime soon.

But Tennessee loves Okoye’s potential if he can apply his size and elite athleticism into football skills.

NFL celebrated Okoye's decision to join Vols

There are seven other NFL Academy alums on Division 1 college football rosters for the 2023 season.

They include Colorado tight end Seydou Traore, Vanderbilt defensive lineman Darren Agu, Hawaii offenisve lineman Freddie Pelling, Temple tight end Peter Clarke, Colorado linebacker Kofi Taylor-Barrocks, UTEP defensive lineman Dimitri Madden and Bryant University defensive back Olatunde Mkparu.

Okoye's decision to come to Tennessee triggered a big response from the NFL, which chronicled his success in a news release.

“Everyone at the NFL Academy is proud of Emmanuel today and excited to support him as he makes an important next step in both his football and personal journey," said Lamonte Winston, head of the NFL Academy. "Emmanuel has set the standard that other talented athletes can aspire to reach, and we wish him well at Tennessee and in the years to come.”

Kris Durham, an international football development consultant for the NFL Academy, worked very closely with Okoye during his college recruiting process.

"Emmanuel’s journey showcases that you can be new to football and excel through our program,” Durham said. "He’s a fantastic example of a crossover athlete who has played the sport for less than a year, yet his talent and hard work shines through, and he has successfully achieved a full scholarship to a leading U.S. university."

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. Twitter @AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.   

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football: What to know about Emmanuel Okoye from NFL Academy