All-Metro Recruiting Report: Obi Evuleocha (Champlin Park-2020)

<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif"><b><a href="https://www.northstarfootballnews.com/player/obi-evuleocha/">Obi Evuleocha</a></b> (6’0, 220 lbs.) is coming off of one of the best seasons of any LB in the Northstar state. The unanimous <i>Kare11</i> and <i>MNFootballHub</i> First Team All-Metro Selection led the stingy <i>Champlin Park</i> defense all the way to a berth in the Prep Bowl while recording 112 tackles and 8 TFLs. The senior, who played his natural position of MLB this season, and also made quite an impression in person as I was lucky enough to see the <i>Rebels</i> play a few times in 2019. #7 for the <i>Rebels</i> can absolutely lay the wood. When he got his shoulder pads on someone, there is no doubt that they felt his impact, and I saw way more than a few ball carriers or blockers bounce off the turf after finding themselves running into <b>Evuleocha</b>. Even in the state semifinal I covered for <i>Northstar Football News</i> between <i>Champlin Park </i>and <i>Lakeville North</i> in U.S. Bank Stadium - where I sat quite far from the action - yet I could hear the echoes of #7 meeting RBs in the hole all the way from my seats. Interested in playing at the scholarship level, I have no doubt <b>Evuleocha</b> can be a force on a college football program just through his career as a prep. I hope you enjoy his interview where we caught up about his <i>Rebel</i> career, playing for <i>Champlin</i>, and his college recruitment thus far! Hudl: <a href="http://www.hudl.com/video/3/9122123/5db3169f19a5820cc0c80c32">http://www.hudl.com/video/3/9122123/5db3169f19a5820cc0c80c32</a> </span><em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif">NFN: Hello and thank you for your time, <b>Obi</b>. Congratulations on your impressive 2019 season. Start by introducing yourself to us and tell us what you love about playing football!</span></em> <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif"><b>Evuleocha</b>: “My parents are from Nigeria but I was born here. I started playing football beginning of my sophomore year. Fun facts are I had no understanding of football before 10th grade and was focused on playing basketball. I like the intensity and competitiveness it brings out of me. Height: 6'0 weight: 220. 40: 4.6, 290 bench, 280 clean, 450 squat.”</span> <em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif">NFN: Awesome. Please explain the 2018 season to us in your words for the team as well as yourself personally. </span></em> <strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif">Evuleocha: </span></strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif">“ Our season in 2018 was good but I think we lacked a lot of chemistry and it kind of affected us at some points. The best parts were the big wins on the road because we didn't lose and the worst parts were the 3 losses we had that we played at home. That year I played a hybrid linebacker in our defense which required me to do a lot of everything so I played good but not to my best potential.”</span> <em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif">NFN: Nice. And how did you guys build on that in preparation for 2019? How was the offseason? Also, what do you like about playing football at Champlin and what was a highlight of this season? Walk us through 2019 in your own words.</span></em> <strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif">Evuleocha: </span></strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif">“This season I played my natural position of Middle Linebacker and knew it was going to be something I would thrive in. As a team last year hurt losing in the second round and it just drove guys to work hard. Personally I watched film on that game over and over for awhile then I put on some weight and got in the gym. I knew this team was going to be special but I didn't think we were going to get as far as we did until after our 2nd game when we took on <i>Blaine</i> and beat them. Playing at <i>CP</i> my last 2 years has been great, great coaches who really have the players best interest and great players that love to compete. I'd say playing L<i>akeville North</i> meant a lot, they had the player of the year on their team and we went took care of business.</span> [caption id="attachment_15787" align="alignright" width="300"] Evuleocha (7) reading his keys.[/caption] <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif">Our first 8 games were great. We played <i>East Ridge, Blaine, Centennial, Osseo, Anoka, Totino-Grace, Rosemount</i>, and <i>Maple Grove</i>. We got off to a rocky start at first barely winning our first game then losing our 3rd game but we trended upwards the whole season and finished 7-1 which is one of our best records in school history. <i>Lakeville North</i> was a good game and we shocked a lot of people who had us losing, they strung a few good plays in the late game but it wasn't enough. <i>Wayzata</i> stung a lot. Our fan sections were packed and we let them down. We had a chance to make history. It's still bothers me that we lost and I'd do anything to go back and play that game again but I gotta move forward.”</span> <em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif">NFN: Well said. What do you credit for your impressive 2019 First Team All-Metro season? With 112 tackles, what do you think you did well?</span></em> <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif"><strong>Evuleocha: </strong>”I gotta give credit to my Dline for how I played this season. They allowed me and my fellow linebacker to run through and make plays so without those guys it'd be harder to do what I did. I think I did a good job of never being satisfied and always fighting for more”</span> <em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif">NFN: It is a team game! What’s new with recruiting? Who are some teams you’re interested in and what are you looking for in a college?</span></em> <strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif">Evuleocha: </span></strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif">“I'm interested in all the D1 and D2 schools, especially in MN and North Dakota and all other surrounding states. I’m taking a visit up to Bemidji State on the 14th. I've been contacted mostly every D2 school in the NSIC. I didn't go to any camps unfortunately. I'm looking for a good education as well a good football program.”</span> <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif">I have no doubt that wherever <b>Evuleocha</b> ends up, he’s going to continue to lay the wood and fly all around the field. It’s simply natural. </span>