Ovie Oghoufo Bio
Ovie Peace Oghoufo is an American professional football defensive end born on March 27, 2000, in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Standing 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) and listed at 250 lb (113 kg), he plays on the edge of the defensive line. After a college career that spanned three major programs, he signed with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2024 and has since spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders. He continues to pursue a regular roster spot in the National Football League.
Early Life and Background
Ovie Peace Oghoufo grew up in Farmington Hills, Michigan, a suburb northwest of Detroit known for producing competitive football talent. He attended Harrison High School, where he developed into a two-way contributor at tight end and defensive end. During his sophomore season, he tallied 66 tackles with 19 for a loss, eight sacks, and three forced fumbles, showing early pass-rush ability and a knack for disrupting offenses behind the line of scrimmage.
As a senior, Oghoufo continued to produce on both sides of the ball, finishing with 32 receptions for 508 yards and five touchdowns on offense, paired with 56 tackles and seven sacks on defense. He held scholarship offers from Notre Dame, Michigan, Michigan State, Boston College, and Kentucky before choosing to commit to Notre Dame. His blend of size, motor, and position flexibility made him a priority recruit for several Big Ten and ACC programs during his high school cycle.
Path to American Football
Oghoufo’s route to professional football ran through three of the most prominent college programs in the country. He began at Notre Dame, where he competed in the highly competitive ACC and learned the fundamentals of playing defensive end at a national level. After three seasons with the Fighting Irish, he entered the NCAA transfer portal and joined the Texas Longhorns, a program in the middle of a rise back to national prominence under head coach Steve Sarkisian.
At Texas, Oghoufo became a starter and built the body of work that would eventually attract NFL attention. He later transferred to LSU for his final college season, completing a path that exposed him to different schemes, coaching staffs, and conference styles. The combination of Power Five experience and versatility helped him earn an opportunity as an undrafted free agent.
Ovie Oghoufo Career
Early Career (2018–2020)
Oghoufo’s first taste of major college football came with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, where he contributed in a rotational role on the defensive line. In the 2019 season, he totaled 12 tackles with two and a half for a loss, a sack, and a pass deflection, providing valuable depth for a defense that routinely competed for a College Football Playoff berth. The 2020 season brought another 10 tackles, two and a half for a loss, and one and a half sacks in a campaign shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
After the 2020 season concluded, Oghoufo made his first major career decision by entering the NCAA transfer portal, signaling his desire for a larger role and a fresh start. The move to Texas gave him the opportunity to compete for a starting job in the Big 12 and showcase his abilities in a pass-heavy conference that produced several future NFL edge rushers.
Texas Longhorns Breakthrough (2021–2022)
At Texas, Oghoufo quickly developed into a starter and one of the steadier edge defenders in the Longhorns front seven. In the 2021 season, he tallied 42 tackles with five and a half for a loss and two sacks, setting the tone as a reliable run defender. In week four of the 2022 season against Texas Tech, he recorded six tackles and forced a fumble, a snapshot of the disruptive style he would carry through the rest of the year.
The 2022 campaign was his most productive in Austin, as he finished with 50 tackles, eight and a half for a loss, two and a half sacks, and a forced fumble. Over his two seasons with the Longhorns, Oghoufo started 20 games and produced 96 tackles with 14 for a loss and four and a half sacks. After the 2022 season, he once again entered the transfer portal, this time landing at LSU for a final collegiate chapter in the SEC.
LSU Tigers (2023)
Oghoufo transferred to the LSU Tigers for the 2023 season, joining a defense that featured multiple future NFL players along the front and in the secondary. The SEC schedule gave him a steady diet of elite offensive tackles, an experience that prepared him for the speed and physicality of professional football. His time in Baton Rouge served as the bridge between his developmental years and his professional opportunity.
New York Giants Era (2024)
Oghoufo signed with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent on May 10, 2024, beginning his professional career in the NFC East. The Giants were in the middle of a defensive rebuild, and he earned a look during training camp as a depth option on the edge. He was waived/injured on August 27 as the team trimmed its roster to the regular-season limit, ending his first NFL training camp stint.
Las Vegas Raiders (2024–2025)
On December 18, 2024, Oghoufo was signed to the Las Vegas Raiders practice squad, giving him a chance to return to a professional environment midway through the season. He signed a reserve/future contract on January 6, 2025, which kept him with the organization through the offseason program and into the next training camp. On August 26, 2025, he was waived by the Raiders as part of final roster cuts, leaving him available to pursue a new opportunity elsewhere in the league.
Driving Style and Strengths
Ovie Peace Oghoufo plays a power-based, leverage-driven style off the edge, relying on his 6 ft 4 in frame and long arms to set a firm edge against the run. He shows the most comfort on early downs, where he can attack offensive tackles with a strong first step and quick hands to redirect. As he has moved into his professional career, his focus has been on adding counter moves and improving his conditioning to hold up in sub-package situations.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of his college career came in his senior year at Harrison High School, when he combined 32 receptions for 508 yards and five touchdowns on offense with 56 tackles and seven sacks on defense. At Texas, his two-year run as a starter, including 20 starts and 96 tackles, cemented his profile as a reliable Power Five edge defender. Signing with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2024 marked his official entry into the National Football League.
Ovie Oghoufo Career Wins
As a defensive end, Ovie Peace Oghoufo’s on-field value is measured in pressures, tackles for loss, and forced fumbles rather than the win columns that apply to quarterbacks or other skill position players. His statistical production at Notre Dame, Texas, and LSU laid the foundation for his professional opportunity. His journey through three major college programs and two NFL organizations reflects steady perseverance at a position where roster turnover is constant.
College Highlights
At Notre Dame, Oghoufo contributed 22 tackles, four and a half tackles for a loss, and two and a half sacks across the 2019 and 2020 seasons as part of a deep defensive line rotation. At Texas, he became a full-time starter, recording 96 tackles, 14 tackles for a loss, and four and a half sacks over the 2021 and 2022 seasons. His time at LSU in 2023 added a final year of SEC experience before he declared for the 2024 NFL Draft as an undrafted free agent.
Other Wins & Performances
Before college, Oghoufo was a two-way standout at Harrison High School in Farmington Hills, Michigan, where he earned offers from Notre Dame, Michigan, Michigan State, Boston College, and Kentucky. His high school production on both sides of the ball foreshadowed the multi-year starting role he would later earn in the Big 12 and SEC.
Ovie Oghoufo Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Oghoufo’s parents and extended family is limited, and he has not shared extensive details about his family background in widely available sources. What is clear is that he grew up in Farmington Hills, Michigan, and attended Harrison High School, a community known for producing competitive football talent. His full name, Ovie Peace Oghoufo, suggests family roots that may trace back to Nigerian heritage, a common background among families in the Metro Detroit area.
Personal Life
Oghoufo has kept his personal life largely private, and there is no publicly confirmed information about a spouse, partner, or children. He is known primarily through his football career, beginning at Harrison High School, continuing through Notre Dame, Texas, and LSU, and extending into his professional stints with the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders. His public social media presence under his X account, @ovieoghoufo, gives fans occasional insight into his training and daily routine.
2025 Season Performance
Oghoufo began the 2025 NFL offseason under contract with the Las Vegas Raiders after signing a reserve/future deal in January 2025. He participated in the team’s offseason program and reported to training camp, competing for a depth role along the defensive line. On August 26, 2025, he was waived by the Raiders as part of final roster cuts, ending his second NFL training camp stint.
Coming out of a year in which he split time between the practice squad and the active roster, Oghoufo is now positioned to pursue another opportunity as a free agent. His combination of size, three Power Five college seasons as a starter, and experience in two NFL organizations make him a candidate for practice squad and bottom-of-roster opportunities. His outlook for the rest of 2025 depends on securing a spot with another team and continuing to develop his pass-rush package.