We caught up with 2016 Kingwood RB Sewo Olonilua last night, a prospect who is seeing his recruitment start to pick up among numerous coaching staffs and schools, including Texas where he was hosted as a visitor over the weekend.
Olonilua, whose name is pronounced Shay-Woe O-Lawn-Uh-Lua (try saying it five times fast), is a big back at nearly 6-2 and already just over 210 pounds. Olonilua was very productive for Kingwood's 2013 offense over nine games, tallying 130 total carries for 830 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Olonilua carries the ball with an upright, bruising style that is exciting to watch. His best traits appear to be size, vision and decisiveness. Olonilua is a cut-and-go runner with natural instincts. He has high hips that seem built for shedding tacklers and he rarely if ever goes down on first contact. What he lacks in long speed (which honestly isn't that much), he makes up for in small-area burst to the second level. Olonilua presents a constant mismatch for linebackers and safeties who already have terrible trouble taking the sophomore down once he's gathered a head of steam.
Olonilua, our No. 57 prospect in the first edition of the 2016 Lone Star Recruiting Rankings, might be a little bit underrated at this point - and is sure to see his standing rise through the process. In the recent weeks and months, Olonilua has received interest, calls, texts and letters from Universities such as Georgia, Nebraska, Northwestern, Stanford and now Texas among others.
Orangebloods: Describe your running style.
Sewo Olonilua: I'm a one-cut back. I can run you over or juke right past you.
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OB: Any NFL or college players you model your game after?
SO: I'd say I model my play after guys like Adrian Peterson (Vikings), Arian Foster (Texans) and Matt Forte (Bears). I like to watch the big, tall running backs.
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OB: Forte's got better hands than either of those guys - how are your hands? Does Kingwood have you catch any balls out of the backfield?
SO: Yes, I actually like to do work at receiver. I've been working there a lot. I'll actually be lining up out (wide as a receiver) for a few plays we have for next year.
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OB: Did Texas offer you a scholarship while you visited or talk about offering?
SO: They did not offer me a scholarship, but they did tell me that they are interested in offering. They said they want to see me at camp, and we'll talk again after that.
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OB: Which coaches did you meet with over the weekend?
SO: I met with (DBs coach Chris Vaughn), but (RBs coach Tommie Robinson) will be down to come see me this week.
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OB: What did the Texas coaches you spoke with say about how your skills translate to the new offense the staff will be bringing to UT?
SO: They told me I was the perfect fit to their offense. They said I would (come in at Texas) with a big advantage because we run the same plays at my school.
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OB: Do you have offers or interest from other schools besides Texas?
SO: I don't have any offers yet, but (now that I've started the recruiting process) several teams are interested.
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OB: If Texas offered, what would be its standing? Would you ever think of committing this early to Texas or any school if it was the right situation?
SO: Texas would be on top if they were to offer. As for committing, it's just about how I feel with the (position) coach and where I would be on the depth chart when I get there. Texas would be on top, (and those are the things) that will let me know when I want to commit.
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Since it may not come across via the interview text, let me add in here that Olonilua is a confident and extremely respectful young man. He's smart and he already handles these media interviews better than half of the 22-year-old prospects at the Senior Bowl usually do. He has a quiet sense of humor and this is the sort of player and personality that will undoubtedly benefit a locker room and handle the responsibilities of being a high-profile Division I athlete with natural ease due to his character.
Olonilua will camp this summer at Texas, University of Houston, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and LSU.
This post was edited on 5/20 10:55 AM by Alex Dunlap
Olonilua, whose name is pronounced Shay-Woe O-Lawn-Uh-Lua (try saying it five times fast), is a big back at nearly 6-2 and already just over 210 pounds. Olonilua was very productive for Kingwood's 2013 offense over nine games, tallying 130 total carries for 830 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Olonilua carries the ball with an upright, bruising style that is exciting to watch. His best traits appear to be size, vision and decisiveness. Olonilua is a cut-and-go runner with natural instincts. He has high hips that seem built for shedding tacklers and he rarely if ever goes down on first contact. What he lacks in long speed (which honestly isn't that much), he makes up for in small-area burst to the second level. Olonilua presents a constant mismatch for linebackers and safeties who already have terrible trouble taking the sophomore down once he's gathered a head of steam.
Olonilua, our No. 57 prospect in the first edition of the 2016 Lone Star Recruiting Rankings, might be a little bit underrated at this point - and is sure to see his standing rise through the process. In the recent weeks and months, Olonilua has received interest, calls, texts and letters from Universities such as Georgia, Nebraska, Northwestern, Stanford and now Texas among others.
Orangebloods: Describe your running style.
Sewo Olonilua: I'm a one-cut back. I can run you over or juke right past you.
-
OB: Any NFL or college players you model your game after?
SO: I'd say I model my play after guys like Adrian Peterson (Vikings), Arian Foster (Texans) and Matt Forte (Bears). I like to watch the big, tall running backs.
-
OB: Forte's got better hands than either of those guys - how are your hands? Does Kingwood have you catch any balls out of the backfield?
SO: Yes, I actually like to do work at receiver. I've been working there a lot. I'll actually be lining up out (wide as a receiver) for a few plays we have for next year.
-
OB: Did Texas offer you a scholarship while you visited or talk about offering?
SO: They did not offer me a scholarship, but they did tell me that they are interested in offering. They said they want to see me at camp, and we'll talk again after that.
-
OB: Which coaches did you meet with over the weekend?
SO: I met with (DBs coach Chris Vaughn), but (RBs coach Tommie Robinson) will be down to come see me this week.
-
OB: What did the Texas coaches you spoke with say about how your skills translate to the new offense the staff will be bringing to UT?
SO: They told me I was the perfect fit to their offense. They said I would (come in at Texas) with a big advantage because we run the same plays at my school.
-
OB: Do you have offers or interest from other schools besides Texas?
SO: I don't have any offers yet, but (now that I've started the recruiting process) several teams are interested.
-
OB: If Texas offered, what would be its standing? Would you ever think of committing this early to Texas or any school if it was the right situation?
SO: Texas would be on top if they were to offer. As for committing, it's just about how I feel with the (position) coach and where I would be on the depth chart when I get there. Texas would be on top, (and those are the things) that will let me know when I want to commit.
----------------
Since it may not come across via the interview text, let me add in here that Olonilua is a confident and extremely respectful young man. He's smart and he already handles these media interviews better than half of the 22-year-old prospects at the Senior Bowl usually do. He has a quiet sense of humor and this is the sort of player and personality that will undoubtedly benefit a locker room and handle the responsibilities of being a high-profile Division I athlete with natural ease due to his character.
Olonilua will camp this summer at Texas, University of Houston, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and LSU.
This post was edited on 5/20 10:55 AM by Alex Dunlap
