Raiqwon O'Neal explained

Raiqwon O'Neal
Current Team:Seattle Seahawks
Number:79
Position:Offensive tackle
Birth Date:January 12, 2000
Birth Place:Conway, South Carolina, U.S.
Height Ft:6
Height In:4
Weight Lb:305
High School:Conway
(Conway, South Carolina)
Undraftedyear:2023
Pastteams:
Status:Active
Statleague:NFL
Statseason:2023
Statlabel1:Games played
Statvalue1:3
Pfr:ONeaRa00

Raiqwon O'Neal (born January 12, 2000) is an American football offensive tackle for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He first played college football for Rutgers and later transferred to play for UCLA.[1] O'Neal was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Early years

Raiqwon O'Neal was born on January 12, 2000, in Conway, South Carolina to Malik Akram and Dina O'Neal-Akram. O'Neal attended Conway High School, where he played football. He participated in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, a game between the best football players from North Carolina against South Carolina.[2]

College career

O'Neal was rated as the seventeenth-best player from the state of South Carolina before entering college. O'Neal first chose to attend Rutgers University to play college football. As a freshman, O'Neal played in four games. In his next year as a sophomore, O'Neal played in nine games and additionally had four starts. In the shortened 2020 year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, O'Neal started eight games, caught a touchdown pass versus Indiana, and was named an honorable All-Big Ten Conference player. O'Neal would start the most games for Rutgers in the following year, with nine starts in 2021, and again was named an honorable All-Big Ten player.[3] Before the 2022 college football season, O'Neal transferred to UCLA. In his lone year at UCLA, O'Neal started all thirteen games for the Bruins and was a part of an offensive line that was a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award.[4]

Professional career

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

After going undrafted in the 2023 NFL draft, O'Neal was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While O'Neal did not make the active roster before the 2023 NFL regular season, he was signed to the Buccaneers' practice squad after the preseason.[5]

Seattle Seahawks

On September 13, 2023, O'Neal was signed to the Seattle Seahawks active roster from the Buccaneers practice squad.[6]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Raiqwon O'Neal Biography . 2024-06-14 . ESPN . en.
  2. Web site: O'Leary . Richie . 2017-12-26 . TheKnightReport - Raiqwon O'Neal finishing up business on the high school gridiron . 2024-05-23 . Rivals.com.
  3. Web site: Raiqwon O’Neal - Football . 2024-05-23 . Rutgers University Athletics . en.
  4. Web site: Raiqwon O'Neal - Football . 2024-05-23 . UCLA . en.
  5. Web site: Stroud . Rick . August 30, 2023 . Bucs sign 14 of their former players to their practice squad . 2023-10-04 . Tampa Bay Times.
  6. Web site: Boyle . John . September 13, 2023 . Seahawks Sign Offensive Tackles Raiqwon O'Neal & McClendon Curtis, Place Abraham Lucas On IR . 2023-10-04 . Seahawks.com.