UCLA lands another Odighizuwa
Just days after officially losing one Odighizuwa to the NFL Draft, UCLA gained another one.
The younger brother of new New York Giant defensive lineman Owamagbe Odighizuwa, 2016 defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa committed to UCLA late Tuesday night.
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"I just felt really comfortable with the decision," Osa Odighizuwa said. "It wasn't a super hard decision to make or anything like that. I thought about it a lot of course. But it wasn't a really hard to decision to make."
The younger Odighizuwa, a 6-foot-3, 250-pound defensive tackle from Portland (Ore.) David Douglas, took a visit to UCLA last week while he was in town for his older brother's draft party. He said he met Jim Mora, the UCLA academic advisors, the rest of the Bruins' staff, and he came away sold on being a Bruin.
"Going on the visit, I felt really at home on the campus," Osa Odigizuwa said. "I was pretty comfortable with the coaching staff. The education is good - they have engineering which is something I want to major in."
Osa Odighizuwa plays both ways at his high school in Oregon, but he said he'll come to Westwood as a defensive tackle. While his older brother played defensive end in UCLA's system, the younger Odighizuwa believes he'll be more of an interior lineman when he gets to UCLA.
"I like to think of myself as a versatile player," Osa Odighizuwa said. "I like to play explosive and physical anywhere I'm at. Even if it's on offense. I just like to be explosive wherever I'm at on the field."
Yet while he may be playing a little different role than his older brother at UCLA, Osa Odgihizuwa will seek out guidance from the New York Giants' new third-round pick often.
"Going where he's gone before, he'll definitely be able to help me not make any mistakes he made or help me through any difficulties that he's had before," Osa Odighizuwa said.
Tuesday night's pledge is a firm one, Osa Odighizuwa added. While he had other offers from Boise State and Oregon State, and other heavy interests from Oregon, Washington State, Arizona, USC and Utah, he's comfortable with the decision he made Tuesday.
"It's pretty solid," Osa Odighizuwa said of his pledge. "I've done a lot of thinking. I don't think (I'll visit other schools), but I'm not just going to like blow off anyone."
Osa Odighizuwa will be back in Los Angeles for UCLA's camp in June.