Last updated: August 2026
| Net Worth | Estimated under $1 million |
| Born | October 20, 2001 |
| Profession | Professional American Football Player (Defensive Line) |
| Nationality | 🇳🇬 Nigerian |
C.J. Okoye, full name Basil Chijioke Okoye, is a Nigerian professional American football defensive lineman for the Baltimore Ravens. His net worth is estimated at under $1 million, reflecting his early stage in the NFL and unconventional path into the sport.
Early Life & Family
Okoye was born on October 20, 2001, in Agbogugu, Enugu State, Nigeria. He initially competed in basketball at a high level in Nigeria before being identified by former basketball player Ejike Ugboaja, who recommended him for the UpRise American football camp run by former NFL player Osi Umenyiora.
Rise to Fame
Okoye trained as an offensive lineman and earned MVP honors at the NFL Africa camp in Ghana in 2022. He was selected for the NFL International Combine in London and then chosen for the International Player Pathway Program, training afterward at IMG Academy in Florida before being allocated to the Los Angeles Chargers in May 2023.
Career History
Okoye made headlines by recording a sack in his first-ever organized football game, having had no prior football experience — a moment that led to an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show. He moved between the Chargers’ active roster and practice squad through 2023 and 2024. The Baltimore Ravens signed him to a reserve/future contract in January 2025, and he was promoted to the Ravens’ active roster in October 2025, appearing in 13 games and recording 15 tackles and a pass defensed during the season, now wearing number 97 as a rotational piece on Baltimore’s defensive line.
How They Built Their Wealth
Okoye’s wealth has come from entry-level NFL contracts through the International Player Pathway Program, including a one-year deal with the Ravens worth just over $1 million for the 2026 season.
Personal Life
Okoye’s move from basketball in Nigeria to the NFL in under three years, without any prior organized football experience, is regarded as one of the more unusual paths in the league.
C.J. Okoye’s net worth is estimated at under $1 million, reflecting the early stage of a career that began without any football background just a few years ago.