In May 2016, Donovan Olumba left his Division II college in West Virginia with one year of eligibility left and a hunger for something more. He emailed the coaches at Portland State University, took some community college classes in Arizona to adjust his credits and prepared to walk on to the team in September 2017.
Last fall, Olumba arrived to PSU’s campus with no guarantees and the will to prove his worth to the team. The 6-foot-2-inch cornerback finished the season as a full-time starter with 21 tackles and seven pass breakups.
I’d say the undrafted free agent might be feeling a little bit of déjà vu in Dallas Cowboys training camp. That feeling of no guarantees, and all of the heart. But, just as he did at PSU, Olumba has been showing up, showing out and making several “players to watch for” lists this summer.
Here are four more facts about the 22-year-old athlete:
He grew up on the west coast…
His laid back demeanor oozes west coast vibes, to be honest. Olumba was born in Tennesse and moved to Tucson, Arizona at the age of four. He played just one year of varsity football at Salpointe Catholic High School before heading to Alderson Broaddus University in West Virginia.
He looks up to Richard Sherman…
In an interview with the Blogging the Boys staff at SB Nation, Olumba listed Jalen Ramsey and Richard Sherman as players he tries to model his game after. He admires Ramsey’s physicality and Sherman’s intelligence.
Speaking of Sherman…
Apparently, Olumba’s nickname is Sherman. His teammates say he looks and plays like the 49ers’ Richard Sherman. So, I guess we can confirm he did an excellent job of modeling his play after the All-Pro.
He’s excited to work with Kris Richard…
Olumba mentioned growing up as a Seahawks fan, so one could imagine his excitement to work with and grow under the former Legion of Boom leader. This could be a mutual feeling, as the tall, long armed cornerback has all of the physical attributes that Richard loves.
Could this UDFA break the roster? He’ll be battling with Marquez White and Duke Thomas for a spot behind Byron Jones, Anthony Brown, Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis, but Olumba is definitely one to watch for in the upcoming preseason games. Raise your hand if you’re excited to see what’s to come for Olumba.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login
You must log in to post a comment.