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Notre Dame Football: Romeo Okwara named most underappreciated player

By Brad Weiss

GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 01: Ezekiel Elliott #15 of the Ohio State Buckeyes runs with the ball as Romeo Okwara #45 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish attempts to make a tackle during the BattleFrog Fiesta Bowl at the University of Phoenix Stadium on January 1, 2016 in Glendale, Arizona. Buckeyes won 44-28. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 01: Ezekiel Elliott #15 of the Ohio State Buckeyes runs with the ball as Romeo Okwara #45 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish attempts to make a tackle during the BattleFrog Fiesta Bowl at the University of Phoenix Stadium on January 1, 2016 in Glendale, Arizona. Buckeyes won 44-28. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /
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Romeo Okwara was not drafted after finishing his career with the Notre Dame Football team and continues to be underappreciated at the NFL level.

After dominating for the Notre Dame Football team, Romeo Okwara did not see his NFL dreams come true during the 2016 NFL Draft. In fact, Okwara had to cut his chops as an undrafted free agent, but all that hard work has paid off, as he inked a three-year/$36 million contract this past offseason.

This is a guy who has worked hard at every level, believing in himself and is now one of the better young edge rushers in the NFC North.

Notre Dame Football star named most underappreciated

In a recent piece by  over at NFL.com, the writer discussed one player from each franchise that is considered “most underappreciated.” For the Detroit Lions, that player was Okwara, an undrafted edge rusher who has steadily built up a solid career at the NFL level since leaving Notre Dame after the 2015 college football season.

Since latching on with the Lions, Okwara has become a key in terms of getting after the quarterback. Last season, he was a monster, leading the NFL in pressures on third down, and pressure rate according to the piece, while racking up 51 pressures overall for Detroit.

Originally signed by the New York Giants after his time with the Irish, Okwara spent two years in New York before landing in the Motor City. He has seen his career take off since then, playing on a team that also boasts Irish talent like Alize Mack, and Okwara’s brother, Julian.

In a recent piece over at Pro Football Focus, Julian stated that he would like he and his brother to both get to double-digit sacks next season, which would be quite an accomplishment for the pair.

This offseason, the Lions stockpiled Notre Dame talent after the 2021 NFL Draft, bringing in Tommy Kraemer, Javon McKinley, and Brock Wright as undrafted free agents. Maybe all three of them can find a home at the NFL as Okwara did, but for Romeo, you can expect the 25-year old to continue to move his career in the right direction this Fall.

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