Working his way back from Achilles reconstruction surgery for the entirety of his rookie season, Indianapolis Colts defensive lineman Dayo Odeyingbo didn’t feel much like himself throughout the 2021 campaign.
A torn Achilles in January 2021 while prepping for the NFL combine caused Odeyinbgo to slip to the second round of the draft where the Colts could barely contain their excitement to grab him. It also caused the Vanderbilt product to work through the rigorous process of rehabbing one of the most crucial tendons in an athlete’s body.
He spent the first seven weeks of the season on the NFI list, preparing to contribute to a second-half playoff run. But even when Odeyinbgo made his return, he didn’t feel like a complete player.
“At a certain point you’re healthy enough to play but you don’t necessarily feel better. So you may be able to run around and do everything on it, but the rest of your body is still catching up,” Odeyingbo told reporters Wednesday.
The Achilles has been a big deal in the injury community when it comes to athletes. It’s a nasty injury that requires a long road to recovery—one that typically includes a future of being far less explosive than a player is used to being.
During his rookie season, as the Colts were vying for a playoff spot, Odeyingbo certainly felt those frustrations creeping in.
“Honestly, it’s not one thing,” Odeyingbo said. “It’s a compilation of everything. The Achilles, there’s some tightness. Some inflexibility in the Achilles, the entire body. Weakness in that leg. Balance in your whole body.”
Dubbed the “Human Hurricane” by the scouting department, Odyeingbo appeared in 10 games during his rookie season. On 173 snaps, he recorded just six tackles, 0.5 sacks and one quarterback hit.
The young pass rusher made strides toward the end of last season and is now looking forward to a full offseason workload—something he didn’t get to experience while rehabbing from surgery in 2021. That’s makes a huge difference.
“Towards the end of the year I started to get more comfortable, but definitely through this offseason I’ve made a lot of progress with my Achilles and just my body in general. So, I’m really excited for this season,” said Odeyingbo.
As Gus Bradley implements his new defensive scheme, Odeyingbo is likely going to be working all around the defensive line. He could see some work on the edge while also kicking inside to the three-technique when the Colts run their NASCAR packages.
Going into the spring workouts, Odeyingbo is ready to make an impact with a front seven that has a lot of upside.
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