A Nigerian-born, UK-raised defensive tackle who reached the NFL through the league's International Player Pathway Program.
Adedayo Odeleye's route to the NFL ran through Lagos, the United Kingdom and the European League of Football before he broke in through the league's International Player Pathway Program. Now with the Cowboys, he continues fighting to stick on an NFL roster after stints in Houston and Baltimore.
Path to the league
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Odeleye moved to the United Kingdom at age nine and attended Loughborough University, where he began playing American football in 2017. He gained acceptance into the NFL's International Player Pathway Program in March 2021 and starred for Berlin Thunder of the European League of Football that year, racking up seven sacks and earning ELF All-Star Team honors.
Career highlights
Odeleye signed with the Houston Texans via the International Player Pathway Program in 2022, spending two seasons largely on the practice squad and reserve roles. He later joined the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad in 2024, signing a reserve/future contract in January 2025 before being waived that August.
2025 season recap
Odeleye joined the Dallas Cowboys' practice squad on August 27, 2025, and secured a reserve/future contract with the team on January 6, 2026, giving him another shot to make an NFL roster as an interior pass-rusher.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Adedayo Odeleye
- ESPN: Adedayo Odeleye
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Defensive Tackle
- Group
- defense
- College
- -
- Hometown
- -
- Age
- 28
- Status
- active
