Brian Orakpo

Brian Ndubisi Orakpo was born on July 31, 1986, in Houston, Texas, to Nigerian immigrant parents. He showcased athletic talent early, playing defensive end and tight end at Lamar High School. His collegiate career at the University of Texas under coach Mack Brown was highly distinguished. After redshirting in 2004, Orakpo made an immediate impact, contributing to the Longhorns’ 2005 National Championship win. He earned the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year award and first-team Freshman All-America honors. His senior year in 2008 was particularly notable, as he recorded 40 tackles and 11.5 sacks, earning numerous accolades including the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Ted Hendricks Award, Lombardi Award, and Bill Willis Trophy, cementing his status as a unanimous first-team All-American. He finished his college career with 132 tackles and 22 sacks.

Orakpo was selected as the 13th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. He quickly established himself, earning a Pro Bowl selection in his rookie season, the first Redskins rookie to do so since 1978. During his six seasons with the Redskins (2009-2014), he accumulated 50 combined tackles and 11 sacks in his inaugural year, followed by consistent performance and additional Pro Bowl selections in 2010 and 2013. In 2015, Orakpo signed with the Tennessee Titans, where he continued to excel, being named a defensive captain and earning another Pro Bowl nod in 2016. He concluded his 10-season NFL career in 2018 with 396 total tackles and 66 sacks.

Following his retirement from professional football, Orakpo ventured into entrepreneurship. Notably, he co-founded Gigi’s Cupcakes, a franchise located outside Austin, Texas, with fellow NFL player Michael Griffin and Bryan Hynson. He also partnered with his brother Michael Orakpo to launch Athlete Connect, an app designed to connect athletes with training opportunities, positioning it as a resource in athlete development.