The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Hall of Honor
- Induction:
- 2024
- Class:
- 2012
An All-American, two-time first-team All-Big 12 selection (2011-12) and Super Bowl Champion, Okafor was a three-year starting defensive end for the Longhorns. The four-year standout appeared in 52 career games on the defensive line, including 33 starts. During his prolific career, Okafor was a durable and versatile star who started 32-straight games before being sidelined with an injury late in his senior season (2012 at Kansas State). A prep All-American and local Austin hero at Pflugerville High School, Okafor burst onto the scene as a true freshman in 2009, appearing in 14 games at defensive end and on special teams. He was named to the All-Big 12 Freshman team by Sporting News after helping UT rank 12th nationally in scoring defense (16.7 ppg), third in total defense (251.9 ypg), first in rushing defense (72.4 ypg), 10th in pass efficiency defense (100.5 rating) and 19th in pass defense (179.6 ypg). Okafor posted 22 tackles, two TFL, a forced fumble and six pressures during his freshman campaign. As a sophomore in 2010, Okafor appeared in all 12 games with eight starts, tallying 30 tackles (14 solo), 2.5 sacks, four TFL, 13 pressures and one forced fumble. During his junior season in 2011, Okafor started all 13 games at defensive end and hauled in national honors including AFCA first-team All-American recognition along with unanimous first-team All-Big 12 accolades. He posted 58 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, seven sacks, three pass breakups, 17 pressures, two caused fumbles and one fumble recovery that season. Under his leadership on the defensive line as a senior, Okafor helped Texas lead the Big 12 and rank sixth in the nation in rushing defense (96.23 ypg) and 11th in total defense (306.08). Okafor put together a stellar senior campaign in 2012, earning first-team All-Big 12 honors after ranking first in the Big 12 and tied for ninth in the FBS with 12.5 sacks. He also led the team in QB pressures (20), forced fumbles (4), and tackles for loss (18). Okafor was one of two Longhorns (joining Kenny Vaccaro) named team captain after the season. Okafor had a historically dominant performance in the Alamo Bowl win over Oregon State, earning Defensive MVP honors after registering eight tackles, an Alamo Bowl-record 4.5 sacks and six tackles for loss. He was named to ESPN.com’s and SI.com’s All-Bowl team. Following his UT career, Okafor was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals with the 103rd overall pick in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft and played nine NFL seasons with the Cardinals (2013-16), New Orleans Saints (2017-18) and Kansas City Chiefs (2019-21). He played in 115 NFL games including nine playoff contests, starting 63 and posting 31.5 career sacks. He was a member of back-to-back Chiefs’ Super Bowl squads following the 2019 and 2020 seasons, including the Super Bowl LIV Champions in 2020. Okafor earned his bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies-Corporate Communication in 2012. After retirement, he returned to Austin and began a career in broadcasting and is heavily involved in community service efforts. He was elected to the Pflugerville School District Board of Trustees in the spring of 2024 (serving a three-year term). Okafor, who lost his mother (Sonia) to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in 2020, also was named a member of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) board of directors in July 2024.
