This former safety is ready to fill big shoes as Boise State’s next starter at nickel
Boise State safeties coach Kane Ioane didn’t hesitate when asked which player has been standing out during spring practice as the team’s best option at nickel.
“Seyi Oladipo is the guy right now because of the experience he’s had at that position and the versatility he’s displayed over his time here,” Ioane said.
There will be a changing of the guard in Boise State’s secondary this year. Safety JL Skinner, nickel Tyreque Jones, and cornerbacks Caleb Biggers and Tyric LeBeauf are all hoping to hear their names called in the NFL Draft in April.
Finding starters and building depth at all three positions is high on the Broncos’ priority list this spring, Ioane said, but making sure nickel is locked down is priority No. 1 because of what the position demands.
“We need a guy who has the ability to play the slot receiver man to man, and that is not an easy thing to do on a regular basis,” Ioane said. “We also need a guy who’s able to be effective as a blitzer off the edge, and we need a guy that’s effective against the run.”
Oladipo joined the Broncos as a safety in 2021. He got on the field early, and he didn’t waste any time getting his hands on the ball. The native of Centennial, Colorado, snagged the first two interceptions of his career while filling in for Skinner during Boise State’s 2021 home opener against UTEP.
Playing multiple positions is nothing new to him. Oladipo lined up at cornerback, nickel, safety and wide receiver at Eaglecrest High in Colorado.
He played safety and nickel at Boise State last season, but the 5-foot-11, 200-pounder said he’s a natural fit at nickel.
“I like being a ball hawk and being down there in the run fits,” Oladipo said. “My coaches and I would agree that the man-to-man skills are what I came in with, and learning the run is where I had more learning to do.”
Ioane echoed Oladipo’s sentiments about his coverage skills and said he’s quickly becoming one of the smartest players on the defense.
“Seyi is one of the better coverage guys that we have,” Ioane said, “and his understanding of the entire defense has grown over the last two years.”
Oladipo said he spent last season trying to learn how to play nickel, adding that it helped watching Jones play the position the right way. He said Jones didn’t hesitate. He was aggressive because that’s what it takes to wade through traffic and make a play.
“At field safety, you’re more like the last line of defense,” Oladipo said. “At nickel, you’re in the box and everything happens fast.”
In an effort to better understand the position, Oladipo said he enlisted the help of one of the most experienced defensive backs in Boise State history.
He’s had a few film sessions with former Bronco Kekaula Kaniho, who played in a program-record 60 games as a nickel from 2017 to 2021. Oladipo said his understanding of the entire defense is on another level because of the time he spent with the Hawaiian.
“I know what everyone is supposed to be doing, from the back end to the defensive line,” Oladipo said. “The whole picture is starting to come together.”
Oladipo saw plenty of snaps at nickel last season while Jones was dealing with nagging injuries. He finished the year with 40 tackles and one interception, which he returned 48 yards for a touchdown against Utah State. His only start of the season came in the Frisco Bowl, where he finished second on the team with 11 tackles.
He was part of a trio of young defensive backs who started the Frisco Bowl because of injuries. Safety Alexander Teubner played in place of Skinner and finished with a team-high 12 tackles. Cornerback Jaylen Clark started in place of Kaonohi Kaniho and notched the first interception of his career.
All three are back on the field this spring, and Oladipo said they’re ready to fill the void left by so many departing veterans.
“These are the guys I came in with and it’s our time to shine,” he said.
