NFL Academy Athlete Commits to University of Oklahoma

NFL Academy athlete Daniel Akinkunmi has become the latest exciting talent to graduate from the programme and set to join a Division 1 US college, committing to Big 12 Conference team, the University of Oklahoma.

Akinkumni has been a part of the NFL Academy since the summer of 2021. Since joining the NFL Academy, Daniel has held a starting position on the offensive line, earning him over 35 Division 1 scholarship offers.

“The NFL Academy and Loughborough has been life changing, from teaching me the game of football, to important lessons off the field, and has given me some of my best memories,” said Daniel.

“I wanted to be part of a program which has a culture of winning and Oklahoma University is that place. Coach Brent Venables has positively impacted so many players and when we spoke it didn’t feel like a pitch, it felt like a man-to-man talk; it was the most real conversation I had during my recruiting journey. The future is very bright for me, and the goal is to be a true freshman and be able to impact the team as much as possible.”

The announcement highlights the ongoing success of the NFL Academy, which currently supports 62 student athletes from 13 different countries. Since its inception, more than 40 students have secured college football scholarships in the US, with 15 NFL Academy alumni set to play NCAA football in the 2023–24 academic year.

“This is another proud day for the NFL Academy as Daniel commits to a great program and the entire team could not be happier for him,” said Steve Hagen, Head Coach of the NFL Academy. “Daniel quickly became a leader at the NFL Academy, and he will continue to be a role model and inspiration for those around him.

“The NFL Academy provides life changing opportunities for talented young athletes from around the world to excel both in education and elite sport performance and Daniel is an example of this programme. He leaves a better athlete and a better man. We wish him well at Oklahoma and in the years to come.”

The NFL Academy offers talented student athletes aged 16–19 a pathway to combine their full-time education alongside a transformative life skills programme and intensive training in the sport, under the guidance of a professional coaching team in an elite sporting set-up.

Based at Loughborough’s world-renowned centre of sporting excellence in the UK, and in partnership with Loughborough College and Loughborough University, the programme promotes world class performance and the development of elite player pathways, supporting student athletes with NFL best practices and resources.