Family atmosphere impresses 2021 KC DE Okoli during two visits
One of three Power-5 level 2021 recruits at a Kansas City (Mo.) high school, defensive end Tobechi Okoli has been playing football the least amount of time.
The Lincoln College Prep junior lays claim to a dozen offers after having played just one season on the gridiron. Iowa State was one of the first for the three-star prospect with a 5.6 Rivals rating. He’s the ninth-overall recruit in Missouri and 37th strongside defensive end nationally.
During a recent in-person interview at school, Okoli spoke on the two unofficial visits he’s taken to Iowa State and the priority the staff has made him.
“Things are going pretty well,” said Okoli in a one-on-one interview with Cyclone Report. “They’re trying to recruit me to come to Iowa State. I’m hearing from Coach (Nate) Scheelhaase, Coach (Matt) Campbell and Coach (Eli) Rasheed. They’re telling me that the program really cares about me and wants me there. They think I would add a lot of athleticism.”
The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Okoli is being recruited to be the physical type of defensive end the Cyclones covet in their 3-3-5 alignment.
“I think that position would be pretty good,” he said. “You need to be a versatile player to be a defensive end there and they think I’m that player. I pride myself on being able to do everything I’m asked to do.
“Last year was my first year of playing football, so I didn’t have anything to go off of. From last year to now, I’ve become a better pass rusher. I’m also becoming better at my play recognition and being able to see what’s going on. I’m just trying to play better.”
In addition to I-State, Okoli has P5 offers from Arizona State, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Kansas State, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Tennessee.
After visiting last season for the Texas game, Okoli returned on February 1st for the Cyclones’ priority recruit Junior Day. He said the experience in Ames left a lasting impression on him, especially what ISU has to offer away from the field.
“What really stuck out was the sense of family that you get when you’re at Iowa State,” he said. “Everybody genuinely cares about you. They showed me a lot about the academics and the campus was really nice. I want to get into Engineering and they showed me a lot about it. I saw the really big building that they have completely dedicated to Engineering.
“There are a lot of players that are in Engineering, so I like that a lot. In addition to talking to all the coaches, I’ve talked to one of the tight ends there, Charlie Kolar. He’s talked to me about the day-to-day life and how he’s balanced his football life with the education.”
Okoli had scheduled visits to Arkansas, Iowa and Oklahoma State for this spring, but those trips are now in question given the extended NCAA dead period.
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