Nigeria may just have a new sporting superstar on their hands in the shape of an American football rookie. 22-year-old Prince Tega Wanogho, born in the Delta State, is preparing to make his bow in the glitz and glamour of the NFL with the mighty Philadelphia Eagles. However, it could have been all so different for Wanogho, who made the brave, bold move from Nigeria to the US in his quest to achieve his dream of playing NBA basketball.
Wanogho was spotted by a talent scout at a basketball training camp in Nigeria. Todd Taylor, the basketball head coach at Edgewood Academy in Elmore, Alabama, immediately offered him a scholarship. He would go on to live with Taylor and the rest of his family, but it wasn’t so long into his scholarship that Wanogho would realize he had a talent for another major league sport that could see him become the next generation of stars from Nigerian descent, including Arsenal’s promising full back Bukayo Saka.
How a visit to American football training at Edgewood would change the course of Wanogho’s life
One afternoon, Wanogho went to watch his friends train for Edgewood’s American football team. The head coach, Bobby Carr, spotted Wanogho and one of his basketball teammates on the sidelines, chucking a football to each other. Carr invited them to train with the rest of the squad – purely as practice fillers – and the rest is history. Wanogho was ordered to play at defensive end by Carr, instructing him to “get the quarterback” and “get the ball” back.
From the word go, Wanogho left his teammates awe-struck by his speed and power. He was able to complete a 40-yard dash in a mere 4.6 seconds. He was bigger and stronger than most people his age too, making it easy to dominate the ball. However, basketball remained Wanogho’s number-one love. He still aspired to make it in the NBA. Unfortunately, Wanogho suffered a double fracture in his leg when playing basketball for high school.
At the time, Wanogho was also being courted by colleges offering football scholarships. The injury – which could have resulted in amputation had he still been living in Nigeria – was no barrier for Auburn University, who kept tabs on his progress and recovery throughout. Struck by their kindness and consideration, Wanogho agreed to sign for Auburn and turn out for the Auburn Tigers once fully fit.
Wanogho was – and still is – a fascinating figure. He enchants people within the game of gridiron that are excited by his attributes. Despite that, Wanogho did not know a thing about the game. He was unaware of the game’s biggest players and nor did he have any inclination to find out; it’s all part of his charm. Wanogho started his rookie year with Auburn as an offensive lineman. He was backup from the outset but eventually forced his way into the team during his sophomore year as a left tackle. He would cement a place there for the rest of his time with the Tigers.
Wanogho put his NFL chances on the line in this year’s NFL Draft
At the end of his senior year, Wanogho opted to enter himself for the 2020 NFL Draft. He had bulked up by more than 50 pounds and had successfully passed his crash course in gridiron with the Tigers. The Philadelphia Eagles recognized that he had become so much more than just a raw athlete. With handy footwork and ball handling, Wanogho could be a rough diamond for the Eagles to polish. There is every chance that Wanogho will be celebrating a Super Bowl victory next February in his rookie year too. The Philadelphia Eagles are in a cluster of seven or eight teams in the Super Bowl NFL futures betting deemed to have the best chance of winning the Lombardi trophy.
New projections for next year’s Super Bowl were released late last month in the form of ESPN’s 2020 Football Power Index. The Eagles are ranked sixth in the league and despite failing to make the Divisional playoffs in 2019/20 there is every chance they will do so this time around – and perhaps go even further still. ESPN rates their chances of winning the Super Bowl as being 4.3%. Wanogho has a chance to be part of gridiron history.
