Thayer’s Okunlola commits to Miami
Highly-recruited OL chooses Hurricanes
BRAINTREE — As Samson Okunlola grabbed the microphone Thursday at 4:56 p.m., dozens of adoring fans collectively stood and swarmed him like they would Mick Jagger or Bon Jovi.
They jostled for position near the table and craned their necks to get a better view of the man they came to see. This wasn’t just a commitment. This was an event.
Okunlola, the first five-star football recruit in Massachusetts history, gave one final tease and floated his right hand over Michigan State, Miami, Florida, and Alabama hats like a magician almost ready to elicit a collective gasp. He stroked his chin, tilted his head, and declared that something wasn’t quite right.
Thayer Academy chef Doug Foss entered Memorial Gym wearing a white apron and holding a covered batch of pancakes and maple syrups featuring each of the four schools. Now Okunlola, a Brockton native who proudly embraces the moniker “Pancake Honcho,” was ready.
He opened the lid to reveal a hefty stack of orange and green pancakes.
“With that said, I’m committing to the University of Miami!” Okunlola bellowed, as hundreds of supporters hollered.
He donned the hat, grabbed a fork to slice into the pancakes, and held up the “U” with pride.
Okunlola, a 6-foot-5, 305-pound offensive lineman, said he legitimately had no idea where he was verbally committing until Thursday. He garnered nearly 50 offers (he lost track), and it wasn’t easy trimming the list.
Sunny Okunlola, Samson’s brother, said the final decision flipped and flopped between three different schools as late as Wednesday.
“He changed by the hour or so,” Sunny said with a grin.
It wasn’t quite a Hail Mary, but it was awfully close. In the end, playing for Miami coach Mario Cristobal felt right.
Okunlola clearly relished the chance to entice and entertain the crowd, but most of all, he felt grateful to his family, friends, and coaches for helping him reach this point.
Okunlola, the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council Player of the Year, is ESPN’s No. 3 offensive tackle and No. 16 overall recruit in the nation. On the field, he’s a terror who once drove an opponent 35-plus yards and into the end zone before helping him up. He believes his work as an All-New England wrestler helped him gain mental toughness and thrive in football.
Off the field, he’s relatively reserved by nature and into pottery, but becomes jovial and charismatic when the time is right. When a Thayer assistant coach in his mid-20s playfully poked fun at Okunlola’s girth as a freshman, Okunlola deadpanned, “At least I have to shave every day,” and walked away after his retort.
He was always different, but at the same time, he’s always been a regular kid with hometown pride.
“I’m a 508 [area code] baby,” Okunlola said. “I support my city, and my city is me. I come from my hometown. No matter where I’m going, I’m going to be a 508 baby.”
Along the way, he developed an infatuation for pancakes — so much so that he eats them every day, creating his own brand: “Pancake Honcho.”
His brothers churned up many nicknames for one another as kids, and this one stuck, mainly because of the way he’s mastered the pancake block.
Okunlola, who will enroll at Miami in January, stayed in his seat and signed dozens of customized Samson Okunlola trading cards made specifically for this occasion.
“I feel competing emotions,” Thayer coach Jeff Toussaint said. “Emotions of great joy to see such a great kid and dedicated athlete move onto bigger and greater things, but also a sadness to know he’s leaving our campus.”