Northwestern's Mo Oratokhai Slated to Take On Major Role in 2025

The Wildcats' redshirt freshman has sky-high potential.

Northwestern Wildcats guard Ezomo Oratokhai takes the field before a game vs. the Michigan Wolverines on November 23, 2024. | Photo: Northwestern Athletics

By the end of his high school senior football season, offensive lineman Mo Oratokhai was an uncommitted three-star prospect without a Power Five offer to his name. He became the final member of Northwestern's 2024 recruiting class the following January, choosing the Wildcats over UTSA, Navy and Army.

A year and a half later, Oratokhai is set to start at left guard when Northwestern opens the 2025 college football season at Tulane.

The Austin, Texas, native was buried on the Wildcats' depth chart when he arrived in Evanston, but a slew of injuries during the season created an opportunity for Oratokhai to play as a true freshman. He ended up getting his first collegiate action against Wisconsin and Purdue, then started at left guard against Ohio State and Michigan.

Once Oratokhai displayed his talent on the field, he proved he belonged there. His lack of experience did not matter, as Oratokhai quickly adapted to the pace of Big Ten play and became a key building block for the future of Northwestern's offensive line.

"We knew when he arrived that his strength levels and football IQ were things that really stood out," head coach David Braun said of Oratokhai during a press conference on Monday. "But still, for someone to transition as quickly as he has into playing last year, and then the progression we've seen going into 2025, it speaks to his passion for the game of football. It speaks to his competitive spirit."

Northwestern brought in four offensive linemen during the winter portal window this offseason, including three sixth-year or seventh-year graduate transfers. Oratokhai emerged from the competition as the Wildcats' starting left guard, beating out veterans as many as five years older than him.

Braun announced last Wednesday that the redshirt freshman had officially locked in his spot on the Wildcats' interior. Oratokhai is projected to be the lone underclassman to start for Northwestern's offense against Tulane.

"It meant a lot to show that [the coaches] really believed in me, that I could play," Oratokhai said. "I was just competing a lot with a bunch of the older guys and people in my grade. I think that’s something that they could see me do last year."

On the field, Oratokhai is a sponge. The 6-foot-4, 310-pound lineman lines up directly beside left tackle Caleb Tiernan, absorbing as much information as he can from the multi-year starter. Oratokhai said he tries to emulate the technique, communication and leadership that he sees from the senior captain each day.

And as Oratokhai learns more and more from his veteran teammates, his confidence grows immensely. With added depth to the offensive line and a physical, aggressive mindset in the trenches, Oratokhai projects a big year for the Wildcats in 2025, especially on the ground.

"There's many things I appreciate about Mo, but one thing I really appreciate is the demeanor of his play," Braun said. "He plays with a little bit of an edge, a little bit of nastiness to him, something that you're certainly looking for in an interior offensive lineman in the Big Ten."

Oratokhai has earned the trust of his coaches and teammates in just 14 months on campus. He's already built a good relationship with offensive line coach Bill O'Boyle — a straightforward guy who Oratokhai said "tells you exactly how it is." The feeling of respect is mutual.

"All freshmen come in a little bit unsure, and just the confidence level that he's built since he's been here has been amazing," O'Boyle said. "Even this fall camp, just the little things we talk about that he's constantly doing right. His confidence levels are way up. He's doing a good job."

For much of the last decade, Northwestern's offense has featured a star lineman. Los Angeles Chargers tackle Rashawn Slater (NU 2017-20) and Tennessee Titans guard Peter Skoronski (2020-22) both became first-round picks after prestigious careers with the Wildcats, while Tiernan's name has been mentioned in preseason NFL Draft discussions as well.

Could Oratokhai be the next player in a line of Wildcat greats? With just four collegiate games under his belt, it's too soon to tell, but Oratokhai has all the physical traits and intangibles necessary to be a starter at Northwestern for a long time.