Olusegun Oluwatimi Bio
Olusegun Oluwatimi, born on August 5, 1999, is an American professional football center for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing 309 pounds, he plays the demanding interior line position that requires both size and technique. Oluwatimi first rose to national prominence during his final college season at the University of Michigan in 2022, where he earned All-American honors and several of the most prestigious awards available to an offensive lineman. He was selected by the Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft and has since developed into a reliable contributor on the interior of Seattle’s offensive line.
Early Life and Background
Olusegun Oluwatimi was born and raised in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, a community in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. He attended DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland, one of the most respected football programs in the region and a long-time producer of Division I talent. At DeMatha, Oluwatimi developed into a strong, technically sound lineman, drawing attention from college recruiters across multiple levels of the sport.
Coming out of high school, Oluwatimi chose a unique path, accepting an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy. The decision reflected both his academic ability and his sense of service, since cadets at the academy balance a demanding military and academic curriculum with their athletic commitments. His time at the Air Force Academy introduced him to the discipline and structure that would later define his approach to football.
Path to Professional Football
Oluwatimi enrolled at the Air Force Academy in 2017 and was a member of the Air Force Falcons football team, although he did not appear in any games during his time there. Seeking more playing opportunities, he transferred to the University of Virginia in 2018, where he sat out a year before becoming a starter. From 2019 through 2021, Oluwatimi started 32 consecutive games for the Virginia Cavaliers, establishing himself as one of the most dependable centers in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
During the 2021 season, Oluwatimi was recognized as one of three finalists for the Rimington Trophy, awarded annually to the best center in college football. He was also named a second-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America and earned second-team All-ACC honors. After graduating from Virginia with a degree in economics in 2021, Oluwatimi used his final year of eligibility to transfer as a graduate student to the University of Michigan in January 2022. That move paired him with one of the most powerful offensive lines in college football and set the stage for his most decorated season.
Olusegun Oluwatimi Career
Early Career (2017–2021)
Oluwatimi’s early career was shaped by patience and steady development. After a year at the Air Force Academy without game action, he adjusted to a new environment at Virginia and earned a starting role by the 2019 season. Over his three seasons as a starter, he became known for his intelligence, leverage, and consistency at the center position, helping anchor the Cavaliers’ offensive front against top-tier ACC competition.
By his senior year, Oluwatimi was widely regarded as one of the top centers in the country, a status confirmed when he finished as a finalist for the Rimington Trophy in 2021. His play during this stretch laid the groundwork for the national attention he would receive the following season, and it demonstrated that his technical skills could translate to the highest level of college football.
Michigan Wolverines Breakthrough (2022)
Oluwatimi joined the Michigan Wolverines in January 2022 and immediately stepped into a starting role on an offensive line widely considered the best in college football. The Wolverines powered their way to a Big Ten Championship and a College Football Playoff appearance that season, with Oluwatimi serving as the central figure up front. He started every game at center and provided the veteran leadership that younger linemen around him relied upon.
By the end of the 2022 season, Oluwatimi had collected an extraordinary collection of honors. He won the Outland Trophy as the best interior lineman in college football, the Rimington Trophy as the nation’s top center, and the Joe Moore Award, given to the most outstanding offensive line unit in college football. He was also named a consensus first-team All-American and earned first-team All-Big Ten recognition, completing one of the most decorated individual seasons ever for a Michigan offensive lineman.
Seattle Seahawks Era (2023–Present)
Oluwatimi entered the NFL when he was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the fifth round, 154th overall, of the 2023 NFL Draft. He played in two of the Seahawks’ three preseason games that year, sitting out the second due to a minor injury. To begin his rookie regular season, Oluwatimi was listed as the backup center after losing the starting job to free-agent signing Evan Brown.
As a rookie in 2023, Oluwatimi appeared in 16 games and made one start, gaining valuable experience in his first professional season. In 2024, he appeared in 12 games and started eight, showing steady growth and earning a larger role along the interior line. His development continued into 2025, when he opened the season as a backup before taking over as the Seahawks’ starting center on November 15, 2025, after Jalen Sundell was placed on injured reserve.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of Oluwatimi’s career is his 2022 award sweep at Michigan, which placed him alongside the most honored offensive linemen in recent college football history. Being part of a Seahawks team that reached and won Super Bowl LX further cemented his resume as a champion at the professional level. Drafted in the fifth round, he has steadily turned a late-round selection into a meaningful starting role, a trajectory that reflects both his work ethic and his technical refinement.
Olusegun Oluwatimi Career Wins
Olusegun Oluwatimi’s career is defined less by individual statistical totals and more by team success, postseason runs, and the awards earned along the way. As an offensive lineman, his impact is measured in protection, run blocking, and the championships and honors attached to those efforts. From the start of his starting tenure at Virginia through his time in the NFL, he has been part of winning football at every level he has played.
College Highlights
At Virginia, Oluwatimi started 32 consecutive games and was a Rimington Trophy finalist in 2021, a season in which he was also named a second-team All-American. His 2022 campaign at Michigan produced consensus All-American status, the Outland Trophy, the Rimington Trophy, the Joe Moore Award, and a Big Ten Championship. These honors represent the highest collective recognition available to a college offensive lineman.
NFL Highlights
In the NFL, Oluwatimi has accumulated 36 games played and 13 games started through the 2025 season, building a reputation as a reliable interior reserve before stepping into a full-time starting role late in 2025. He is a Super Bowl champion as a member of the Seattle Seahawks, having been part of the roster that won Super Bowl LX.
Olusegun Oluwatimi Family
Personal Life
Olusegun Oluwatimi is known publicly for his disciplined path through college football, which included stops at the Air Force Academy, Virginia, and Michigan, before reaching the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks. His enrollment at the Air Force Academy reflects a personal commitment to service and academics that runs alongside his athletic career. He earned a degree in economics from the University of Virginia in 2021 before completing his playing eligibility at Michigan.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has marked an important new chapter for Olusegun Oluwatimi with the Seattle Seahawks. He began the year as the backup center behind Jalen Sundell after losing the starting competition during training camp. Through the early portion of the schedule, he continued to refine his technique in a reserve role while staying ready for his number to be called.
That opportunity arrived on November 15, 2025, when Sundell was placed on injured reserve, allowing Oluwatimi to take over as Seattle’s starting center. The transition placed him back in the middle of an offensive line tasked with protecting the quarterback and opening lanes in the run game, and he has since served as the regular starter. His elevation reflects the trust the Seahawks coaching staff have placed in his preparation, experience, and reliability.
Looking forward, Oluwatimi is positioned to remain a central part of Seattle’s offensive line plans as the team evaluates its long-term options at center. With a Super Bowl already on his resume and meaningful starting experience now in hand, he has the opportunity to entrench himself as a long-term fixture along the Seahawks’ interior.
