Akin Ayodele

Defensive End (1998)

Akin Ayodele is a serial entrepreneur and investor, motivational speaker, Co-Founder of The Dream Builders Foundation, and former NFL linebacker. He takes a management role and leads the strategic implementation of his business investments, which span several industries including film production, restaurants, event hosting, and wholesale distribution. As a motivational speaker, he can be seen talking in front of corporations, educational organizations, and youth groups. The Dream Builders Foundation matches NFL players with local charities for the sake of benefitting at risk, financially, or mentally challenged youth. Dream Builders is already in one-third of all NFL cities and is rapidly expanding nationally and into other professional sports. In August of 2014, he received his MBA from The George Washington University.

In his nine year career in the NFL, Akin was known for his athleticism and work ethic, playing in 147 of 148 games and amassing 995 tackles, 9.5 sacks, 10 forced fumbles, and nearly an interception per season (7). He was drafted as the 89th pick overall in the third round of the 2002 NFL draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Through his career he also played for the Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, and Buffalo Bills.

Prior to professional football Ayodele received his Liberal Arts degree from Purdue University, focusing on Psychology and Law in Society, with a minor in Organizational Leadership. In collegiate football, he shows up in Purdue’s all-time record book 10 times, is tied for second in career sacks, and was named Second Team All Big-Ten as a sophomore & Junior, then First Team All Big-Ten and team MVP as a senior. Akin was also a two year Team Captain while playing at Purdue.

Before playing for Purdue, Akin played the 1998 season for the Coffeyville Red Ravens under former head coach Skip Foster. Akin was named a second team NJCAA All-American as a defensive end and was also selected first team All-Jayhawk Conference. Akin still ranks second on the Ravens all-time season tackles for loss list with 33. Akin was recruited by Purdue, but was lacking a course he needed to enter the university. “He never should have been at a junior college,” said Foser. “He was an outstanding student with great grades.”

In his personal life Akin has traveled to five continents,saying that Cape Town in South Africa was his favorite place. As an adrenaline junky, you might find him jumping out of planes with a parachute or scuba diving. If you look no place else you can find him on the golf course working on his game, trying to get his handicap from +12 into the single digits.