Coach | 2023 Notre Dame OL Target Samson Okunlola Big, Athletic & Driven

Each year, Thayer Academy (Mass.) head football coach Jeff Toussaint gives the school’s wrestling coach the opportunity to speak to his players about the benefits of the sport.

Toussaint didn’t expect Samson Okunlola‍ to be convinced during the 2019 football season, but the then-freshman offensive lineman signed up and it’s made a tremendous impact on the gridiron.

“Right now, he's 6-6, probably 295,” Toussaint says. “He played for me in the Fall of '19 as a freshman and he was 330. That winter, he went out for the wrestling team.

“I was surprised when Samson did because it's not as popular anymore with kids. He wanted to do it. He lost 25 pounds over that winter and really took to it, loves it and continues to do it. He's benefited from it physically, losing weight and growing and becoming more athletic. He loves it. He's very competitive. That was a big development for him that winter and he did it again and it continues to grow.”

Colleges have certainly taken notice and the 2023 Massachusetts prospect recently added Notre Dame to an offer sheet that already included schools like Georgia, Florida, Florida State, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State, Vanderbilt, Oregon and USC among several others.

Toussaint is quick to point to Okunlola’s athleticism as well.

“He's not just a big kid,” the coach says. “He can move, he's got good hands. Last fall, we were doing some 7-on-7 stuff and letting the linemen play and he's running go routes up the sidelines, catching the ball.”

Off the field, the coach calls Okunlola “a great kid.”

“He's very jovial, just a good team guy that the kids gravitate towards,” he continues. “He's done well here. He adjusted to the school. We're a somewhat rigorous school and he's done really well academically and he's part of the clubs. Like I say, going out of his comfort zone and wrestling. They've been hallmarks of his persona. He just loves to be with people and take advantage of opportunities.”

Okunlola’s brother, Samuel, is a defensive end in the Class of 2022 who has dozens of major offers of his own.

“The two of them have been working out like crazy, not only lifting, but also drill work and things,” says Toussaint. “They've gone to a couple of combine events over the past six months or so and have done really well there. They're really driven. They both love football and they're intense competitors in addition to being immensely talented kids.”

Although they have many similar offers, the brothers aren’t necessarily looking to go to college together.

“That would be nice obviously, but they're both very independent and they're both driven,” Toussaint explains. “In my conversations with them, that's not the case at all. I think they each want to do their own thing. Obviously, it'd be nice, but it's certainly not a requirement of this.

“Geographically, they have Pac-12 offers, Big 12, SEC, ACC, Northeast ones as well, Big Ten. So, they're all over the place. I think each one of them is going to go where each wants feels is the best fit for them. I know the family, I know the parents are really emphasizing academics as well. It's not just the best uniforms or the highest rating in the last whatever years. It's academics. They want to go to a place where they know they're going to benefit from a solid education. That's certainly part of the part of the equation.”

The academic piece is one reason why Toussaint believes the offer from Notre Dame will be a big one for Okunlola.

“I mean, it's Notre Dame,” the coach says. “It's a national school. There are so many great aspects to the school; its academic reputation and I'm not sure he's thought of this yet, but it's going to be part of our discussion, the networking nationally that he can benefit from when he's done playing football and he's out of school. I think that's a huge asset. You go into any major city and there's a Notre Dame club or certainly a Notre Dame presence. That's a huge benefit in addition to the obvious football reasons, athletic reasons. They play a national schedule and on NBC every week.

“And obviously the success of the program too lately. They've been in the Playoffs. So, I think it's a little different than maybe some other places.”

But, it’s still very early in the process.

“He's only a sophomore right now, so there's certainly time to discuss all the options that he has and go from there.”