Understudy Romeo Steals Spotlight
The Giant Insider|January 1, 2017

There were 253 names called at the 2016 NFL Draft in Chicago.

Geoff Magliocchetti
Understudy Romeo Steals Spotlight

Romeo Okwara’s was not one.

Despite emerging from the football powerhouse they call Notre Dame, partaking in a football revolution in South Bend that crowned in the program’s 2014 national championship appearance, its first realistic shot at a title in over two decades, Okwara didn’t hear his name called during the draft proceedings last spring.

Instead, he signed on with the New York Giants as a free agent, offered the challenge of making an NFL roster in the grueling New Jersey summer. When camp broke, Okwara was part of the opening-day squad ... but it was by no means caused by the luck of the (Fighting) Irish.

“Romeo is a young guy that was kind of a surprise when he came here,” defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said. “He has got some length; he is a smart football player, high-effort guy.”

From his first games in Giants blue, Okwara endeared himself to the faithful almost immediately in the best way an undrafted rookie can … leading the Giants to victory in the annual tradition formerly known as the “Snoopy Bowl,” the nickname gifted to the Giants annual preseason tilt with their MetLife Stadium co-tenants, the New York Jets. After picking up a sack the week before in the Giants exhibition contest with the Buffalo Bills, Okwara ended a potential Jets game-winning drive, not just by sacking fellow rookie Christian Hackenberg, but forcing a fumble as well on the final drive of the Giants 21-20 victory.

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Denne historien er fra January 1, 2017-utgaven av The Giant Insider.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

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