Elon Football OL Udoh Selected by Minnesota Vikings in 2019 NFL Draft

NASHVILLE – Elon University football’s offensive lineman Olisaemeka Udoh was selected Saturday, April 27, in the sixth round of the NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings to become the third Elon player selected in the draft in the program’s Division I tenure.

Udoh was selected with the 21st selection of the sixth round. He is the first Elon player to be taken higher than the seventh round since Jimmy Smith was selected in the fourth round of the 1984 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins.

“We’re really excited for Oli and this opportunity,” said head coach Tony Trisciani. “He’s a young man who came here to Elon, committed to the process and changed his body, developed as a football player and as a man. He’s ready for this opportunity and this challenge and I’m really excited for him, his family and Elon football.”

Udoh is now the 16th player in Elon football history to be selected in the draft. He joins Chad Nkang (2007 seventh round pick by Jacksonville) and Aaron Mellette (2013 seventh round pick by Baltimore) as the only three players taken since Elon became a Division I program in 1999.

In 2018, Udoh was named a First Team All-CAA selection while earning All-America accolades from Phil Steele FCS, STATS FCS and HERO Sports. Throughout his career, he started all 45 games the team has played over the course of the last four years, including the 11 the Phoenix played in 2018. During the season, Udoh helped Elon amass a season average of 199.5 yards per game on the ground to finish second in the conference in the category. He also blocked for a running game that scored 22 of the team’s 31 touchdowns on the season. Udoh also played a big role in keeping the quarterback upright with the offensive line allowing just 16 sacks on the season.

After the campaign, Udoh was selected to participate in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and the East-West Shrine Game. While in practice for the Shrine Game, his impressive play earned him an invite to the Reese’s Senior Bowl before having the chance to participate in the NFL Combine in February and March.

Organized team activities (OTAs) for the Vikings will take place during three sessions starting in late May. The dates of those workouts are May 21-23, May 28-30 and June 3-6. The team’s mandatory minicamp will take place on June 11-13.