Hakeem Adeniji facts for kids

Hakeem Adeniji (born December 8, 1997) is an American professional football player. He plays as an offensive tackle for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Kansas Jayhawks. While at Kansas, he was recognized as an All-Big 12 player twice. He was picked by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2020 NFL draft.

Early Life and High School Football

Hakeem Adeniji grew up in Garland, Texas. He went to Garland High School and was a talented football player. After high school, he planned to play college football at the United States Air Force Academy. However, he couldn't go there because of a medical issue related to a cashew allergy. After this, he decided to play for the University of Kansas.

College Football Career

Hakeem Adeniji started playing for the Kansas Jayhawks right away as a freshman. He became a starter at the offensive tackle position and played in all twelve games. He was very tough and didn't miss any games due to injuries during his entire college career.

By the time he finished his senior year, he had played in and started all 48 games for his team. In his junior and senior years, he helped his team's running back, Pooka Williams Jr., run for over 1,000 yards in two seasons. Because of his great performance, he was named to the All-Big 12 Conference second-team as a junior. The next year, as a senior, he made the first-team All-Big 12.

Professional Football Career

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals chose Hakeem Adeniji in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL draft. He was the 180th player picked overall. In his first season in 2020, he made his first start at tackle in Week 8. He helped the Bengals' offense by not allowing any sacks in that game. This was a big improvement for the team. He played in fifteen games and started five of them during his rookie year.

In June 2021, Adeniji had surgery for a torn pectoral muscle. This injury happened during his offseason workouts. He was placed on a special injury list and couldn't play at the start of the season. He was able to return to play on November 4, 2021. In his first game back, he started against the Cleveland Browns. He played in nine games that season and started all of them. He also started for the Bengals in their playoff win against the Las Vegas Raiders. This was a very important win, as it was the Bengals' first playoff victory in 31 years!

In the 2022 season, Adeniji started as a backup player. He was the backup right tackle behind La'el Collins. He also played as a "swing tackle" when the team needed six offensive linemen. When Collins got injured in Week 16, Adeniji became the starting right tackle. He played in this position for the rest of the season and during the playoffs. In the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Bengals' offensive line allowed three sacks.

The Bengals released Hakeem Adeniji on August 29, 2023.

Minnesota Vikings

On August 31, 2023, Hakeem Adeniji joined the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad. A few weeks later, on October 5, 2023, he was moved to the active roster, meaning he could play in games.

Cleveland Browns

On March 13, 2024, Adeniji signed a contract with the Cleveland Browns. However, he was placed on injured reserve on August 19.

Personal Life

Hakeem Adeniji's mother, Joke, used to be a television anchor in Nigeria. His family later moved to the Dallas area in the United States. His brother, Moshood, also played offensive line in college for the Air Force.

Hakeem Adeniji married Kayla in July 2021.