In a recent interview, Bobby Okereke, middle linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts, discusses his plans to establish his name in Indy’s defense.
Last season, the Indianapolis Colts had three defenders selected to the Pro Bowl: Darius Leonard, DeForest Buckner, and Kenny Moore. All three stars are returning next season. The Colts also added two more Pro Bowlers by trading for Yannick Ngakoue and signing Stephon Gilmore.
With all of the talent and an entirely new defensive staff led by defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, the future is bright for Indy’s defense. However, there’s one name that hasn’t been getting discussed a lot.
That’s the person that led the team in tackles last season and is at the center of Indy’s defense: Bobby Okereke. With all the talent surrounding Okereke, the linebacker entering his fourth season is making plans to stand out amongst the stars and establish himself as a top name in the league.
Bobby Okereke had his best game of the year on Sunday. He was flying around the field in the run game. I know Derrick Henry wasn't right in this game, but I was still impressed with how Okereke played pic.twitter.com/DdPSQffhbL
— Zach Hicks (@ZachHicks2) November 2, 2021
Bobby Okereke planning to stand out for Colts
Okereke recently joined “The Blue Stable Podcast” and he discussed a number of topics from his new teammates and coaches to why he felt it was important to start correcting the pronunciation of his name.
Despite all the new additions to the Colts on both sides of the ball, Okereke mentioned how the linebackers pride themselves on being one of the hardest groups on the team and in the entire NFL. They want to be the tone-setters for the defense and the team as a whole.
As far as individually, Okereke made his plans clear. He wants to join his teammates in the Pro Bowl as well as on an All-Pro team. Okereke also is striving to lead the team in tackles again, saying “it was a lot of pride in that” after doing it last season.
With those goals, it’s clear that Okereke is ready for the next step of his development. Last season was his first as a full-time starter for the Colts and many quickly learned that he is a valuable defender in Indianapolis.
Now, the goal is for that to be understood league-wide. With a big season, when people mention Indy’s defense, Okereke could be one of the names included. The conversation could shift from the great linebacker in Indianapolis to the great linebacker duo in Indy.
With coaches like Cato June and Richard Smith, and a defensive coordinator like Gus Bradley who has produced a lot of quality middle linebackers, Bobby Okereke is in the perfect situation to become the latest star on the Colts defense.
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