Last Chance U star Ronald Ollie earns NFL contract after tryout

Last Chance U star Ronald Ollie signed a rookie contract with the Oakland Raiders on Monday. He was featured in Season 1 of the hit Netflix docu-series.

The Oakland Raiders had a very interesting 2019 NFL Draft to say the least, selecting established players who will contribute immediately — getting guys like Clelin Ferrell, Josh Jacobs, and Johnathan Abram all in the first round.

Related: Most exciting players from Season 3 of Last Chance U

Even Clemson’s Hunter Renfrow seemed like a steal in the fifth round, but Ronald Ollie, from Nicholls State by way of Eastern Mississippi C.C., is an undrafted free-agent who could churn out a role for himself with the Raiders.

Ollie spent two of the past three seasons playing for the Colonels, totaling 74 tackles, 20 tackles-for-loss, and seven sacks from his interior defensive lineman position. On Season 1 of Last Chance U, Ollie flashed this ability and more, as he became a fan favorite with an interception and a fumble recovery, the latter of which he returned for a touchdown.

It’s unfair to heap heavy expectations on Ollie, but his track record of overcoming obstacles coupled with his pro day, it’s hard to think he’ll remain just another guy from Last Chance U for much longer. He wasn’t invited to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, but he reportedly posted a 4.87 40-yard dash time. His vertical jump was right in line with other top defensive line prospects, too.

At 6-foot-2 and 292 pounds, Ollie presents a solid prototype for an interior defensive lineman. He isn’t exceptionally big or overly fast, but he’s proven an ability to work hard, and head coach Jon Gruden loves his grinders.

Ollie joins the Raiders, per the team’s announcement, “following [his] participation in the team’s rookie minicamp on a tryout basis.”