| Oli Udoh | |
| Current Team: | New Orleans Saints |
| Number: | 74 |
| Position: | Offensive tackle |
| Birth Date: | 14 February 1997 |
| Birth Place: | Fayetteville, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 6 |
| Weight Lb: | 320 |
| College: | Elon (2014–2018) |
| Draftyear: | 2019 |
| Draftround: | 6 |
| Draftpick: | 193 |
| Pastteams: |
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| Status: | Active |
| Statseason: | 2023 |
| Statlabel1: | Games played |
| Statvalue1: | 43 |
| Statlabel2: | Games started |
| Statvalue2: | 18 |
| Pfr: | U/UdohOl01 |
Olisaemeka Udoh (born February 14, 1997) is an American football offensive tackle for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Elon Phoenix and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the sixth round, 193rd overall in the 2019 NFL draft.
Born to Benjamin and Rita Udoh in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Udoh attended Terry Sanford High School. He started playing football as a defensive lineman before transitioning to the offensive side of the ball as a senior, earning second team Cape Fear Region honors after helping the program reach the playoffs for the second consecutive year. Udoh was a NCHSAA student-athlete honoree in both 2012 and 2013 and also lettered in track and field in his final season, recording a top-throw of 44'5" (13.54m) in the shot put.[1]
After taking a redshirt year in 2014, Udoh never missed a game with a total of 45 starts throughout his college career at Elon. He was named to the Colonial Athletic Association Football Academic All-Conference Team in both 2015 and 2016. In 2018, he earned a spot as a Phil Steele Football Championship Subdivision First Team All-American and was invited to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.[2]
Udoh was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings with the 193rd overall pick in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL draft.[3]
Udoh was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the Vikings on July 29, 2020. He was activated on August 13, 2020.[4]
Udoh re-signed with the Vikings on March 18, 2023.[5] He suffered a quad injury in Week 2 and was placed on injured reserve on September 19, 2023.[6]
On March 19, 2024, Udoh signed with the New Orleans Saints.[7]
On October 31, 2022, Udoh was arrested during the Vikings' bye week for falsely being accused of following a woman into a bathroom at a bar and refusing to leave and was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. The charges were later dismissed and his lawyer characterized the arrest as unlawful due to the evidence proving that he never entered the bathroom with a woman.[8] [9]
In May 2023, Udoh was cited on three separate occasions for traffic violations. Two of these incidents were for speeding, including driving 97 MPH in a 55 MPH zone on I-94 in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was also charged with reckless driving in a separate incident two days later.[10]