Hakeem Adeniji facts for kids
| No. 75 – Dallas Cowboys | |||||
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| Position: | Offensive tackle | ||||
| Personal information | |||||
| Born: | December 8, 1997 Garland, Texas, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||
| Weight: | 302 lb (137 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school: | Garland | ||||
| College: | Kansas (2016–2019) | ||||
| NFL Draft: | 2020 / Round: 6 / Pick: 180 | ||||
| Career history | |||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2024 | |||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||
Hakeem Adeniji (born December 8, 1997) is an American professional football player. He plays as an offensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Kansas Jayhawks. He was recognized as a top player, earning first-team honors in 2019 and second-team honors in 2018. The Cincinnati Bengals picked him in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL draft.
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Early Life
Hakeem Adeniji grew up in Texas and went to Garland High School. He was a talented athlete there. He had planned to play college football at the United States Air Force Academy. However, he couldn't get a special medical permission because he had an allergy to cashews. After this, he decided to play for the University of Kansas.
College Football Journey
When Hakeem started college, he immediately became a starter at the tackle position. He played in all twelve games during his first year. Throughout his entire college career, Hakeem was very tough. He never missed a single game because of an injury.
By the end of 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 in a row. Because of his great performance, he was named to the 2nd team All-Big 12 Conference as a junior. He then made the 1st team as a senior.
Professional Football Career
Getting Ready for the NFL
Hakeem Adeniji was invited to the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. This is where college players show off their skills to NFL teams. Even though he played tackle in college, some experts thought he might play as a guard in the NFL.
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | Wonderlic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 4+3⁄8 in (1.94 m) |
302 lb (137 kg) |
33+3⁄4 in (0.86 m) |
10 in (0.25 m) |
5.17 s | 1.78 s | 2.98 s | 5.08 s | 8.32 s | 34 in (0.86 m) |
9 ft 7 in (2.92 m) |
26 reps | 34 |
| All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day | ||||||||||||
Time with the Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals picked Hakeem Adeniji in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL draft. He was the 180th player chosen overall. In his first year, he made his first start at tackle in week 8 of the 2020 season. He helped the Bengals' offensive line, which had struggled before, not allow any sacks in that game. This was the first time all season they had done that. He finished his first year playing in fifteen games and starting five of them.
In 2021, Hakeem had an injury to his pectoral muscle during offseason training. He had surgery in June 2021 and was placed on a special injury list. 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 and started nine games that season. 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!
For the 2022 season, Hakeem started as the backup right tackle. He also played as a "swing tackle" when the team needed six offensive linemen. When the starting right tackle got injured in week 16, Hakeem became the main starter for the rest of the season and the playoffs. In the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Bengals' offensive line allowed three sacks. The Bengals later released Hakeem on August 29, 2023.
Time with the Vikings and Browns
On August 31, 2023, Hakeem Adeniji joined the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad. He was then moved to their main team on October 5, 2023.
On March 13, 2024, Hakeem signed with the Cleveland Browns. He was placed on injured reserve on August 19, 2024, due to an injury.
Joining the Dallas Cowboys
On April 18, 2025, Hakeem Adeniji signed with the Dallas Cowboys. He is currently playing for them.
