The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
2016 Football Roster
Roster
Denzel Okafor
- Position:
- OL
- Height:
- 6-3
- Weight:
- 302
- Class:
- Freshman
- Hometown:
- Lewisville, Texas
- High School:
- Lewisville
- Major:
- Physical Culture and Sport/Graduate School
A sixth-year offensive lineman who is utilized his additional year of eligibility and played in 50 career games with 19 starts ... named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team in 2021 ... a four-member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll (spring 2020, fall 2020, spring 2021, fall 2021) ... a high school All-American and all-state honoree ... played in the 2016 Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl.
SUPER SENIOR (2021)
Played in and started five games at left guard ... helped Texas post back-to-back 58-plus-point games (58 vs. Rice, 70 vs. Texas Tech) … the 70 points against Texas Tech tied for the ninth-most points scored in a game in program history … part of an offensive line that helped produce over 600 yards against Rice (620) and Texas Tech (639) … helped the Longhorns set the school’s single-game yards per carry record of 10.4 ypc (41 carries for 428 yards) against Rice … blocked for the seventh running back duo in UT history with a 1,000- and 500-yard rusher (Bijan Robinson – 1,127, Roschon Johnson – 569) … helped protect QB Casey Thompson, who had a Big 12-leading 24 touchdown passes ... part of unit that helped three Longhorns total nine 100-yard rushing games … part of an offensive line that helped Bijan Robinson eclipse 100 yards rushing in four of the first five games of the season … blocked for Bijan Robinson’s 20 carry, 103 yard outing in the season-opening victory over Louisiana … anchored an offensive line that helped Robinson (13 carries, 127 yards, 3 TDs) and Roschon Johnson (3 carries, 112 yards, 1 TD) both surpass 100 rushing yards against Rice, as well as an 80-yard rushing performance by Keilan Robinson (5 carries, 83 yards, 1 TD) … also against Rice, helped block for three running backs with 60-yard touchdown runs (Roschon Johnson - 72, Keilan Robinson - 65, Bijan Robinson - 62) … blocked for Bijan Robinson as he rushed for 137 yards on 18 carries against Texas Tech … helped Bijan Robinson rush for career-high 216 yards with two TDs on 34 carries at TCU, the 21st-most rushing yards in UT history … sustained a leg injury at TCU and missed the remainder of the season.
SENIOR (2020)
Played in and started all nine regular season games at right guard ... did not play in the Alamo Bowl ... part of an offensive line that helped the Longhorns score 42.7 points per game – the second-best scoring average in school history ... blocked for an offense that averaged 6.66 yards per play, the fourth-best mark in school history and best in a season since 2005... helped Texas post two 60-point games (63 at Texas Tech, 69 at Kansas State) ... blocked for a UT backfield that averaged 5.3 yards per carry and scored 20 rushing touchdowns ... helped senior QB Sam Ehlinger recorded 2,943 yards of total offense and score 34 total touchdowns (26 pass/8 rush) ... part of unit that helped three Longhorns total four 100-yard rushing games ... opened holes for Ehlinger to rush for a career-high 112 yards and four touchdowns in the AT&T Red River Showdown versus Oklahoma ... blocked for Bijan Robinson’s first career 100-yard day (12 carries, 113 yards) in a win over West Virginia ... anchored an offensive line that helped Robinson (9 carries, 172 yards, 3 TDs) and Roschon Johnson (14 carries, 139 yards, 3 TDs) both surpass 100 rushing yards against Kansas State ... helped Robinson set the school’s single-game yards per carry record (19.1 ypc) against K-State ... marked the first time during the Big 12 era that two Longhorns each rushed for three touchdowns in the same game ... was also the first time that a Texas running back tandem each rushed for at least 125 yards in the same game since Shon Mitchell (150 yds) and Ricky Williams (143 yds) did so versus Texas Tech in 1996.
REDSHIRT JUNIOR (2019)
Played in 13 games and started against Iowa State ... contributed primarily on special teams.
JUNIOR (2018)
Made his season debut in the win over TCU ... redshirt.
SOPHOMORE (2017)
Played in 12 games, making four starts (Kansas State, versus Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, at Baylor) ... played in the season opener against Maryland on both special teams and at right tackle ... played a key role at right tackle in a 56-0 win over San Jose State during week two ... was inserted at right tackle following an injury to left tackle Connor Williams in the second quarter at No. 4/4 USC ... primarily played on special teams in the Longhorns 17-7 win at Iowa State to begin Big 12 play ... picked up his first career start in the Longhorns’ 40-34 double-overtime win over Kansas State ... helped Texas to 32 first downs and 546 offensive yards in the victory ... did not allow a sack in the win ... started at left guard against a tough Oklahoma defensive front and helped the Longhorns to 428 total yards ... started at left tackle against Oklahoma State ... started at left tackle in the Longhorns 38-7 victory at Baylor ... helped the Texas offense to 427 total yards, including 171 rushing yards ... played on the offensive line and special teams in the Longhorns’ 42-27 win over Kansas ... played on special teams in Texas’ 28-14 win at West Virginia ... played on special teams against Texas Tech ... helped the Longhorns offensively and on special teams in the 33-16 win over Missouri in the Texas Bowl.
FRESHMAN (2016)
Played in 10 games in 2016, primarily on special teams and in the 18-wheeler package.
HIGH SCHOOL
An All-America and all-state honoree ... selected to participate in the 2016 Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl ... named second-team 6A All-State by the by the Texas Sports Writers Association and honorable mention by the Associated Press in 2015 ... picked to the All-USA Texas Second Team by USA Today ... tabbed unanimous first-team All-District 6-6A ... chosen as one of “2016 Texas’ Best” by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football ... earned first-team All-Area honors and ranked among the Top 100 recruits in North Texas by the Dallas Morning News ... placed No. 48 on the Austin American-Statesman’s Fab 55 ... picked a Top 30 prospect in Texas by the Waco Tribune ... rated No. 241 nationally (No. 12 OG) and No. 36 overall in Texas by 247Sports ... ranked No. 244 nationally (No. 14 OG) and No. 34 overall in Texas by Rivals ... rated No. 262 nationally (No. 16 OG) and No. 45 overall in Texas by ESPN ... ranked No. 22 OG nationally and No. 3 OG in Texas by Scout ... part of an offense that recorded over 300 total yards in five games ... named 2015 preseason first-team Super Team by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football ... chosen a 2015 area Player to Watch by the Dallas Morning News ... selected second-team All-District 6-6A in 2014 ... part of an offense that recorded over 300 total yards in five games.
PERSONAL
Son of Peter and Jacinta Okafor ... has five siblings - Michelle Ugwu and Goldstein, Roosevelt, Jennifer and Portia Okafor ... cousins Marvin and Beverly Okafor and Stephanie Onyekwere went to UT ... brother, Goldstein, triple jumped at Texas State ... sister, Portia, plays volleyball at Rice ... participated in the Juneteenth Parade and volunteered at both the Senior Citizen Olympics and last year’s women’s football clinic ... born in Lewisville.
