One of the most positive and incredible stories this preseason and training camp has been the emergence of Sam Eguavoen. I’m going to be completely honest, I didn’t know who this guy was when he became a Dolphin, but then again, why would I?
However this preseason, his performances have put his name into many journalists and football fans’ words, and they are spreading ‘the word’ about his presence, as a football player. So that leaves many to wonder, who is Sam Eguavoen?
It’s not often a player comes out of the CFL and has an NFL career. But one name does spring to mind, Mr. Cameron Wake. Both Wake and Sam Eguavoen have something in common, they both killed it in the CFL, after going through a tough patch. But Sam had it worse, unlike Wake, who became a UDFA of the New York Giants. Eguavoen didn’t even sign for a team.
The former Texas Tech Red Raider went undrafted in 2015, and spent the rest of the year out of football, working in Dallas for Footaction, which is a company of FootLocker. Eguavoen majored in Sociology and Criminology, which when realising his football days were over caused him to sign up for the Dallas PD. He quickly gathered it wasn’t for him, however, and in January 2016 was looking for something else to do.
Sam Eguavoen heads North
Eguavoen then decided to go to CFL tryouts. He was so desperate to get back into Football that he went to work out for the first team that got in contact. In came the Saskatchewan Roughriders, I know that’s an impressive name! He impressed the coaches in Saskatchewan, and shortly after was invited to minicamp. Minicamp turned into training camp, and soon he was starting in the CFL.
In Sam Eguavoen’s first year in Canada, he only played six games before tearing his MCL. And was out for the season. At this point, Eguavoen was seriously considering just giving up, and when talking on the Audible, the Fins official podcast, he stated it was his teammates and coaches in the locker room that kept him going.
Another year came around, and his second year was just up and down, he got hurt, with a minor ankle injury coming into the season, and knew he had to seriously knuckle down in Year 3.
And knuckle down he did, the linebacker ignored the 2018 NFL season, fully focusing on the season in Canada. Eguavoen added “I fully locked into the CFL, that I didn’t know what was going on in the outside world.” After an incredible year, where he posted 81 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 pick, 2 TD’s and 2 Forced Fumbles, Eguaveon was let go by the Roughriders to pursue NFL opportunities.
Miami was the first place he visited, where he got close to Chris Grier. Resulting in him being a Dolphin today. And what a preseason he’s gone and had!
Against Tampa Bay, 2 weeks ago, Eguavoen finished the game with seven tackles, including two for a loss, and a forced fumble. He then backed that up with 1 hurry, 3 tackles and a run stop against Jacksonville on Thursday.
On a whole this preseason, Sam Eguavoen has put up 10 tackles and 1 assisted tackle as well as 5 run stops. Pretty good for what he’s been through, I’m sure you’ll see this guy for years to come in the NFL. Particularly if he shines for the Dolphins this year.
That’s all from me, later tonight I have a piece profiling the state of the Dolphins Defense, so look out for that. Thanks for reading.
You can follow Sam Eguavoen on Twitter here.
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