Bobby Okereke

Originally a 3rd-round (89th pick overall) draft choice by the Indianapolis Colts in 2019…Signed as a free agent by the Giants on March 16, 2023.

TRANSACTIONS:

• Originally a 3rd-round (89th pick overall) draft choice by the Indianapolis Colts in 2019…Signed as a free agent by the Giants on March 16, 2023.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

• Has played in 81 regular-season games with 66 starts for Indianapolis and the Giants and played in one postseason game for the Colts…Career totals include 558 tackles (377 solo), 27 passes defensed, 26 tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hits, 8 forced fumbles, 5 interceptions, 5 fumble recoveries and 4.5 sacks …In the playoffs, he has 4 tackles (3 solo).
• In his first season with the Giants in 2023, started all 17 games…Joined former teammate Xavier McKinney as the only NFL defensive players to play every snap (1,128 snaps)…Totaled a team-high 149 tackles (92 solo) which ranked 9th in the NFL and tied his single-season career-high for tackles, set the previous season in Indianapolis…Recorded double-digit tackle totals in 7 games…Produced 11 tackles for loss, 10 passes defensed, 6 quarterback hits, 4 forced fumbles and a career-high tying 2 interceptions…His 4 forced fumbles tied for 5th-most in the NFL and his 10 passes defensed tied for 2^nd in the NFL among linebackers…Was the only player in the NFL with 140-plus tackles, 10+ tackles for loss, and 10+ passes defensed.
• Recorded 8 tackles (5 solo) and one forced fumble in his Giants debut vs. Dallas (9/10)…Began a streak of 4 consecutive games with 10+ tackles with 10 (6 solo) vs. Seattle (10/2)…Tallied 10 tackles (4 solo) 2 passes defensed, and one interception of a Tua Tagovailoa pass he returned 7 yards at Miami (10/8)…Followed 11 tackles (8 solo), 2 tackles for loss, 2 passes defensed and one forced fumble at Buffalo (10/15)…Became the 4th player in franchise history to record 10-plus tackles, 2-plus passes defensed and one-plus forced fumbles in a game…Collected 11 tackles (7 solo) vs. Washington (10/22).
• Made a season-high 14 tackles (6 solo) and a career-high 2 forced fumbles at Washington (11/19)…Became the 10^th player since 1970 to record 14-plus tackles and 2-plus forced fumbles in a game…Recorded 8 tackles (7 solo), 2 passes defensed, and intercepted a Mac Jones pass he returned 55 yards to set up the Giants' only touchdown vs. New England (11/26)…Had 10 tackles (8 solo) and one pass defensed at Philadelphia (12/25)…Recorded a career-high 1.5 sacks as part of his 9 tackles (2 solo), and 2 quarterback vs. the Rams (12/31)…Recorded 8 tackles (5 solo), 1.0 sack, one quarterback hit, and one pass defensed vs. Philadelphia (1/7).
• In 2022, played in 17 games with 16 starts for Indianapolis…Did not start vs. Tennessee (10/2)…Recorded career-high totals of 149 tackles and 97 solo stops, 6 tackles for loss, 5 passes defensed, 2 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries.
• Had 11 tackles (9 solo) at Jacksonville (9/18)…Posted 13 tackles (8 solo), including one for a 5-yard loss, vs. Jacksonville (10/16)…Recorded 10 tackles (6 solo) and also defensed 2 passes at Tennessee (10/23)…Tallied a career-high 17 tackles (13 solo), including 2 for loss, and a forced fumble at the Giants (1/1).
• In 2021, started all 17 games for Indianapolis…Led the team in total (130) and solo tackles (88), and had 3 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, 2 interceptions, 4 passes defensed and 2 quarterback hits…Ranked 9th in the NFL in solo tackles…Recorded a then career-high 14 tackles (9 solo) vs. Houston (10/17).
• In 2020, played in 14 games with 8 starts and played in one postseason game for Indianapolis…Finished with 72 tackles (57 solo), 4 tackles for loss, one interception, 6 passes defensed, one quarterback hit and 2 fumble recoveries.
• Tallied 8 tackles (6 solo), including one for loss, at Chicago (10/4)…Led the team with 10 tackles (8 solo) at Cleveland (10/11)…Also intercepted a Baker Mayfield pass and returned it for 7 yards…In his first career playoff appearance, had 4 tackles (3 solo) in the AFC Wild Card Game at Buffalo (1/9).
• As a rookie in 2019, played in 16 games with 8 starts...Collected 58 tackles (43 solo), 2 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, 2 passes defensed, one quarterback hit, 2 forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
• Had one tackle for loss in his NFL debut, at the Chargers (9/8)…Totaled 8 tackles (6 solo) in his first career start, vs. Atlanta (9/22).

COLLEGE:

• Played in 51 games in 5 seasons at Stanford…Totaled 240 tackles (114 solo), 19 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, one interception, 9 passes defensed, 3 forced fumbles and one fumble recovery…As a fifth-year senior in 2018, started all 13 games and was named a team captain…Recorded 96 tackles (52 solo), 7.5 tackles for loss, five passes defensed, 4.5 sacks, 3 quarterback hurries, 2 forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one safety…Was an All-PAC-12 honorable mention, Lott IMPACT Trophy quarterfinalist, Butkus and Bednarik Award watch list…In 2017, played in 14 games, making 96 tackles (48 solo), 7.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, 4 quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and one interception, which he returned for a touchdown…Was named an All-PAC-12 honorable mention…In 2016, started all 13 games as a junior, tallying 41 tackles (12 solo), 4.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, one pass defensed and one quarterback hurry…In 2015, played in 11 games, making 7 tackles (2 solo) and one pass defensed…Redshirted his freshman year.

OFF-THE-FIELD ACTIVITY:

• Joined Diana Flores, the quarterback of the Mexican National Girls Flag Football Team, for a clinic with the Paterson (N.J.) Recreation girls flag football program, which was attended by more than 200 athletes from 8 teams… Participated in the Xavier McKinney Back to School Bash, where players handed out backpacks and other school supplies to 300 local kids at the Boys and Girls Club of Clifton (N.J.)…Met with members from the Wounded Warriors Project during their visit to the Quest Diagnostics Training Center to watch practice and enjoy a day with the Giants…Visited the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton (N.J.) to meet with 100 kids for a reading event and introduced a newly donated reading room and outdoor garden reading bench…Teamed up with Bob's Furniture and LISC of Newark to accompany a new homebuyer in Newark as she was surprised with a shopping spree at Bob's Furniture, and unveiled her newly furnished home in front of loved ones and community members…Participated in Jingle Jam, where he helped spread holiday joy to more than 500 New Jersey foster children, spending time with them and assisting with the gift distribution… Represented Sephardic Bikur Holim during the NFL's Week 13 My Cause My Cleats initiative.

PERSONAL

• Management, science and engineering major…Born Robert Nnanna Okereke in San Mateo, Calif…. First generation American…4-year varsity letter winner…Attended Foothill High School in Calif. and played under head coach Doug Case… Recorded 162 career tackles, 9.0 sacks, 4 interceptions, 7 passes defensed and 2 interceptions returned for a touchdown…PrepStar All-America and National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award winner (Orange County Chapter)…Awarded the 2014 Watkins Award, which recognizes "exceptionally talented African-American male athletes who, by their example, help promote high academic standards and a commitment to community service"...2013 Los Angeles Times All-Area first team, MaxPreps All-State Division II first team, Century League Player of the Year…2012 All-Century League first team…2011 Sophomore Varsity Rookie of the Year….2010 Foothill Coaches' Award…2014 Semper Fidelis All-America Game West team's defensive MVP…Earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 2013...His cousin, Amobi Okugo, played soccer at UCLA and plays as a midfielder and defender for the Austin Bold FC in the USL Championships league.