Emmanuel Oyebadejo (born April 1, 2004) is an English gridiron football player who is a defensive end for the Florida Gators. He previously played for the Exeter Demons and the Jacksonville State Gamecocks.
| No. 99 – Florida Gators | |
|---|---|
| Position | Defensive lineman |
| Class |  |
| Personal information | |
| Born | April 1, 2004 |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 303 lb (137 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Loreto College (Manchester, England) |
| College | Exeter (2023–2024) Jacksonville State (2024–2025) Florida (2026–present) |
| Career history | |
| |
| Awards and highlights | |
| |
| Stats at ESPN | |
Early life
editOyebadejo was born on April 1, 2004.[1] A native of Manchester, England, he grew up playing football (soccer) as a midfielder until age 11 or 12.[1][2] According to Oyebadejo, he "got way too big for it too quickly".[1] He then switched to basketball, playing the power forward and center positions.[2] Oyebadejo was called up to represent England internationally at both the under-16 and under-18 age levels.[3][4] He also helped his club, the Manchester Magic, win the Under-18 National Cup in 2022.[5]
Oyebadejo attended Loreto College in Manchester,[6] and was subsequently accepted to the University of Exeter in Southwest England for medical school.[1] He was recruited to the school's American football team in 2023 by the coaches, who noticed a 19-year-old Oyebadejo watching a friend play from the sidelines.[1][7] "So, that next Wednesday I was there and playing," he said. "Initially, I was just looking for something to keep myself active and busy in my spare time when I wasn’t studying for tests and exams. But then over time, I grew to fall in love with the sport."[1]
Early football career
editOyebadejo helped the Exeter Demons to a perfect season in 2023–24, capturing the BUCS National Trophy championship after beating Nottingham Trent in the final.[8][9] He asked his coaches to compile a highlight tape of his to send out to American schools, which received some interest.[1][7] After just one season in England, Oyebadejo's tape caught the attention of Florida State linebackers coach Randy Shannon, and an official visit was scheduled for January 2024.[10] However, the trip ultimately did not happen, and he went on to commit to play for head coach Rich Rodriguez at Jacksonville State.[1][7]
Aside from his college team, Oyebadejo also played for the Manchester Titans of the BAFA National Leagues. He helped the team to a 44–27 win over the London Warriors in Britbowl XXXV in 2023.[11] Oyebadejo later appeared in their first-round game in the 2024 Central European Football League against the Stockholm Mean Machines. It was the first appearance by a British team in European competition in seven years.[12][13]
College career
editOyebadejo moved to the U.S. in July 2024 to play for Jacksonville State.[7] However, he missed the entire 2024 season after suffering an injury in preseason camp.[14] In his first season in the U.S. in 2025, Oyebadejo started all 14 games at defensive end and tallied 41 tackles, 6.5 for tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, five pass breakups, and two forced fumbles, earning first-team all-Conference USA honors.[6] After the conclusion of the season, he entered the NCAA transfer portal.[15] Oyebadejo was rated as a three-star transfer recruit as well as the No. 19 and No. 26 defensive lineman in the portal by On3.com and 247Sports, respectively.[16][17] He garnered considerable interest from Power Four programs, including Georgia, Texas A&M and Florida.[7]
On January 6, 2026, Oyebadejo announced his decision to transfer to Florida.[18][19] Entering his final year of eligibility, he focused on developing his technique and physicality under Gators defensive line coach Gerald Chatman that offseason.[2][20] Oyebadejo recorded a sack in the Orange & Blue spring game.[21]
National team career
editIn 2023, Oyebadejo was called up to the Great Britain national under-19 team training camp.[22]
Personal life
editOyebadejo is of Nigerian descent.[1] He grew up rooting for Manchester United F.C.[1] When Oyebadejo began pursuing his college football career in the United States, his parents were initially hesitant to see him leave medical school in England. However, they warmed up to the idea after being flown out to the U.S. on an official visit.[1] Oyebadejo had to learn to drive in the U.S., and passed his driver's test in January 2026.[7]
References
edit- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Edwards, Mark (October 5, 2025). "From United Kingdom to Jax State: Oyebadejo doesn't play like a rookie footballer". The Anniston Star. Archived from the original on May 11, 2026. Retrieved May 10, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Ahern, Curan (March 31, 2026). "Late start, fast rise: Emmanuel Oyebadejo ready to make impact at Florida". The Independent Florida Alligator. Archived from the original on May 19, 2026. Retrieved May 10, 2026.
- ↑ Neter, Sam (December 17, 2019). "England Under-16 Squad for Tri-Nations Tournament Revealed". Hoopsfix. Archived from the original on May 19, 2026. Retrieved May 10, 2026.
- ↑ Neter, Sam (April 11, 2022). "England Under-18 Men squad for Four Nations tournament revealed". Hoopsfix. Archived from the original on May 19, 2026. Retrieved May 10, 2026.
- ↑ "Magic News!". Loreto College. January 26, 2022. Archived from the original on May 19, 2026. Retrieved May 10, 2026.
- 1 2 "Emmanuel Oyebadejo - Football". Florida Gators. Archived from the original on May 18, 2026. Retrieved May 10, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Goodall, Zach (March 30, 2026). "'I can compete with these guys': Emmanuel Oyebadejo's journey from UK med school to Florida football". Swamp247. 247Sports. Retrieved May 10, 2026.
- ↑ Duff, Brad (March 19, 2024). "LIVESTREAM Great Britain BUCS National Trophy Game: Nottingham Trent Renegades vs Exeter Demons, March 19, 15:40 CET (3:40 pm, 2:40 pm GMT, 10:40 am EDT)". American Football International. Archived from the original on May 19, 2026. Retrieved May 10, 2026.
- ↑ Duff, Brad (March 20, 2024). "Great Britain: Exeter Demons win National College Trophy with comeback win over Nottingham Trent Renegades". American Football International. Archived from the original on May 17, 2026. Retrieved May 10, 2026.
- ↑ Blostein, Zach (January 2, 2024). "Meet Emmanuel Oyebadejo, a 6-foot-7, 315-pound FSU defensive line transfer target from the United Kingdom". Noles247. 247Sports. Archived from the original on January 8, 2026. Retrieved May 10, 2026.
- ↑ Exeter Demons American Football [@exeterdemonsamericanfootball]; (September 18, 2023). "Congratulations to our very own Emmanuel Oyebadejo on winning Britbowl XXV!". Retrieved May 11, 2026 – via Instagram.
- ↑ Manchester Titans [@manchestertitans]; (April 18, 2024). "✈️Travelling Squad✈️". Retrieved May 10, 2026 – via Instagram.
- ↑ "Stockholm Mean Machines vs. Manchester Titans 2024-04-20" (PDF). Stockholm Mean Machines. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2026-01-14. Retrieved May 10, 2026.
- ↑ Ashworth, Thomas (August 18, 2025). "Keep an eye on these Jacksonville State football players in 2025". AL.com. Archived from the original on August 23, 2025. Retrieved May 10, 2026.
- ↑ Ashworth, Thomas (December 29, 2025). "Jacksonville State star defensive lineman set to enter transfer portal". AL.com. Archived from the original on January 3, 2026. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
- ↑ "Emmanuel Oyebadejo". On3.com. Archived from the original on December 2, 2025. Retrieved May 11, 2026. Click on "Recruiting".
- ↑ "Emmanuel Oyebadejo". 247Sports. Archived from the original on January 8, 2026. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
- ↑ Ashworth, Thomas (January 6, 2026). "Former Jacksonville State first-team All-Conference USA defender commits to Florida". AL.com. Archived from the original on January 9, 2026. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
- ↑ Harden, Tyler (January 6, 2026). "Florida lands transfer commitment from Jacksonville State DL Emmanuel Oyebadejo". Swamp247. 247Sports. Archived from the original on January 8, 2026. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
- ↑ Brockway, Kevin (April 9, 2026). "Florida football DL Emmanuel Oyebadejo takes unexpected journey from England to U.S." The Gainesville Sun. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
- ↑ McDonald, James (April 11, 2026). "Gators Show Promise in Jon Sumrall's First Spring Game". WRUF. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
- ↑ "GB U19 Camp Roster". British American Football Association. August 28, 2023. Archived from the original on May 17, 2026. Retrieved May 10, 2026.