Class of 2021 OL Oluwafunto Akinshilo (CA / Nigeria) TRANSFERRING TO SYRACUSE (1/16/26)

[DocFlanders]

 

[DocFlanders]

 

[The Ack]

 

[Ozone!]

Oluwafunto,​

 

[AngryOtto]

Maybe coming to play but really a GA. Knows the new Oline coach, may be good at assisting other players in technique and leadership.

 

[PeteCalvin]

View attachment 259049

“How many times have I told you not to park your piece of crap Dodge on my freshly waxed floors?!?!”

 

[HyattsCuse]

Here’s hoping it works out Kyle-style for the hoops team; a little know and played transfer from UCLA who is a BIG contributor.

He’s 6’5” 325lbs. I can tell you already that he’s a BIG contributor.

 

[qdawgg]

 

[LpoolNative]

This is a very good pickup

 

[CuseMan4]

I’d be surprised if he is starting. He’ll come here to compete. Not a bad player. Solid role player. He’s good depth to have. He’s your prototypical 2nd stringer. Where if a starter gets hurt there won’t be a huge drop off to him. Which is nice

 

[SanDiegoCuse]

 

[Chicago44s]

 

[dollarbill44]

I'm not sure what is going on here, but I think i like it?

 

[tep624]

I’d be surprised if he is starting. He’ll come here to compete. Not a bad player. Solid role player. He’s good depth to have. He’s your prototypical 2nd stringer. Where if a starter gets hurt there won’t be a huge drop off to him. Which is nice

Special teams guy and spot 2 deep. You need those guys but I was really hoping we’d see one starter added.

 

[RyanCuse44]

 

[JeremyCuse]

I’d be surprised if he is starting. He’ll come here to compete. Not a bad player. Solid role player. He’s good depth to have. He’s your prototypical 2nd stringer. Where if a starter gets hurt there won’t be a huge drop off to him. Which is nice

Exactly, were not spending a million dollars to bring Tony Bosselli reincarnate here. He's a veteran guy who will compete for a job and if he's a backup once the inevitable injury does hit he's a guy you can plug in with experience.

 

[Franz69]

He's from Nigeria. I wonder if he's a late bloomer for football.

 

[Niastri]

He's from Nigeria. I wonder if he's a late bloomer for football.

Every kid in Nigeria grows up playing American Football.

 

[anomander]

It’s very telling to me the transfer portal grade (high end 4 star) that Darrell Gill got who I think is a very good player and perhaps NFL bound. The reason is I think they prioritized retaining even better prospects in Samuels, Deslauriers, and Washington. I only wonder what the transfer portal grades would be for them.

Gill was top 25-30 overall. i highly doubt they would have been close to that.

 

[GoCuse14]

Gill was top 25-30 overall. i highly doubt they would have been close to that.

You highly doubt a Freshman All American would be close?

 

[anomander]

You highly doubt a Freshman All American would be close?

Yes, without a doubt. Watson wasn’t last year and that’s a much more important position.

 

[rocklloyd]

can he play center?

 

[JarHeadJim]

Happy birthday Betty White

 

[BillSU]

Jersey Number69

OL Oluwafunto Akinshilo (CA / Nigeria) TRANSFERRING TO SYRACUSE (1/16/26)​

• Position: Offensive Line
• Height: 6-5
• Weight: 325
• Class: Redshirt Senior
• Hometown: Lagos, Nigeria
• Previous School: Leuzinger HS [CA] / Iowa State

Career Summary
Has been on college football rosters at UCLA (2024-25), Iowa State (2022-23), and El Camino College (2021) for the last five seasons ... made 12 appearances, all in 2025 at UCLA.

2025
Appeared in all 12 of UCLA's games as a reserve offensive lineman ... operated primarily on the field goal and extra-point units, but also saw offensive snaps.

2024
Did not see game action in his debut season in Westwood ... enrolled at UCLA in June 2024.

2023 (Iowa State)
Did not see any action in his second year in the program.

2022 (Iowa State)
Utilized a redshirt year.

2021 (El Camino College)
Played in 11 games for the Warriors … team finished 7-4 and averaged 36.6 points and 434 yards of total offense per game.

High School
Played at Leuzinger High School in Lawndale, Calif. ... a two-sport athlete, he also lettered in basketball at Leuzinger ... played both offensive and defensive line.

Personal
Majored in communication studies at Iowa State ... earned his undergraduate degree in sociology from UCLA.

https://uclabruins.com/sports/football/roster/oluwafunto-akinshilo/15144

 

[FrancoPizza]

the comments in the article reinforced what i've been saying about the OL -- we like the young guys who have been redshirting. Getting an extra guy who probably didn't want any money and was willing to be a backup or fight for a spot is a good thing, especially if he knows our OL coach.

Do you know if "we" refers to the new OL coach or Fran or the GM? It's hard to get too excited when I remember how much Red loved Carlos.