Giants Now: Bobby Okereke selected as potential first-time Pro Bowler

Bobby Okereke selected as potential first-time Pro Bowler

Following his dominant first season with the team in 2023, linebacker Bobby Okereke is garnering praise from the media heading into Year 2 with the Giants.

NFL.com’s Kevin Patra recently selected one player from each team across the league as a potential first-time Pro Bowler in 2024, in which he went with the veteran linebacker as his pick for the Giants.

“Here’s another off-ball linebacker who could have been on last year’s Pro Bowl squad,” wrote Patra. “Okereke generated 149 tackles, 2.5 sacks, six QB hits, four forced fumbles and 10 passes defended and two INTs. Along with Dexter Lawrence, he was the lifeblood of the Giants D. Okereke was also one of the best linebackers in man coverage in the entire NFL, able to run with tight ends and backs.”

Okereke’s 149 total tackles last year ranked ninth in the league and the third-most in Giants history. Additionally, his sacks, forced fumbles, tackles for loss, quarterback hits and passes defensed were all new career-highs.

The middle linebacker, along with former Giants safety Xavier McKinney, were the only two defensive players in the league to to be on the field for every defensive snap last season.

“He’s really the centerpiece, the middle linebacker position,” coach Brian Daboll said about Okereke earlier in training camp. “He’s a good communicator. Obviously has good leadership traits. Nominated a captain his first year here. I think he’s taken that to another level with tying the back end with the front end. He’s fast. He’s a ball disruptor. Active player in the run game and the pass game. He’s been a good player for us. We’re going to need him to be a good player this year as well.”

As Daboll mentioned in the quote above, Okereke was also voted a team captain prior to the start of his first season with the Giants, indicative of his leadership within the locker room.

“He’s just one of the best leaders that I’ve been around,” cornerback Nick McCloud told the media last week. “He holds himself to a high standard, so it’s nothing for him to hold everybody else to a high standard, because he does it himself day in and day out. You can’t really ask much more of him.”

Okereke combined with Micah McFadden to create a formidable linebacker duo last season, as the latter set numerous career-highs himself in 2023. McFadden recorded 101 total tackles (63 solo), 12 tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, four fumble recoveries, five passes defensed and an interception, all of which topped his rookie season marks.