Former UCLA Bruins Star Trending Toward Massive NFL Contract

Former UCLA Bruins star and current Dallas Cowboys defender Osa Odighizuwa is set to earn a big payday during the NFL offseason.

Sep 8, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons (11) celebrates with defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa (97) after a sack during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

If you can believe it, we are only three months away from the start of NFL free agency, and those few days where there is a flurry of activity and player movement is always a good time.

Perhaps one of the most interesting players set to hit the open market is Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa.

The 26-year-old played his collegiate football at UCLA and was impressive enough to earn getting selected by the Cowboys in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

But just how much will Odighizuwa earn in free agency this coming offseason?

Based on the fact that he will be one of the best defensive linemen available, it seems relatively safe to say that the Bruins product will be compensated handsomely.

Through 12 games this season, Odighizuwa has posted 33 tackles and three sacks while recording a 73.3 pass rush grade from Pro Football Focus. That's good for 17th out of 208 qualified interior defensive linemen.

It's not just this season, either.

Odighizuwa has been a force right from the jump, as he logged 36 tackles and a couple of sacks while making 12 starts and appearing in 16 contests during his rookie campaign.

The Dayton, Oh. native has established himself as one of the most underrated stars in the league, which probably has a lot to do with him playing in the shadow of Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs and DeMarcus Lawrence on Dallas' defense.

Of course, he also doesn't stuff the stat sheet, so the casual observer may dismiss him based on that fact alone.

But just because Odighizuwa does not rack up a ton of sacks does not mean he isn't an impact player. As a matter of fact, he is one of the most important cogs in the Cowboys' defense (which has actually taken a major step back overall in 2024, but that's due to no fault of Odighizuwa).

There should be no shortage of suitors for Odighizuwa this coming offseason, and given his age and his production, it stands to reason that he will land a very lucrative multi-year contract in March.

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