Neville Gallimore Suits Up to Dominate in Third Year with Oklahoma

Neville Gallimore Suits Up to Dominate in Third Year with Oklahoma

Granville Liggins, Rick Bryan, and Tommie Harris: The list of noteworthy defensive tackles to come out of the University of Oklahoma’s football program is a storied one. And with Neville Gallimore shoring up the Sooners D-line, we may be in the midst of witnessing history repeat itself. Time will tell if his name is one for the ages, but Gallimore is making a very compelling case.

Size is a weapon as a defensive tackle and Gallimore delivers with brute and style. At a hulking 6’2”, 310 pounds, he is a large and imposing figure with not much of a poker bluff, which may not be ideal for sports like poker requiring finesse and subtlety but is perfect for his position in football. But make no mistake, Gallimore is not a one trick pony with his stature. He turns just as many heads with his quick movement and athletic ability; much like throwing down a great poker hand at the last minute.

Gallimore is also a proud Canadian, hailing from St. Catharines, Ontario, and one of the most promising tackles to emerge from the Great White North. And as the first Canadian prospect to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, Gallimore attracted the attention of a number of coaches from around the country who traveled far to see him play. Notably, Gallimore’s January 2015 performance at the All-American Bowl, which resembled shock and awe of unknown poker player winning it all at a World Series of Poker tournament, served as a stepping out of sorts as he quickly secured a spot as a highly pursued defensive playmaker.

With a number of U.S. collegiate offers rolling in, Gallimore selected the University of Oklahoma. He was a freshman redshirt in his first year with the Sooners, making the cultural and play adjustments necessary to bring his game from Canada to the highly competitive NCAA Division I ranks. This effort included dropping 30 pounds to improve speed and propulsion coming off the line.

By his sophomore year in 2016, Gallimore was ready to make his mark on the gridiron. He played in 13 games over the course of the season, starting in six. Not surprisingly, his impact was immediate. Gallimore racked up eight big tackles in a game against Louisiana-Monroe and tallied another six in a winning contest against the University of Texas.

Gallimore enters the 2017 season in prime form, ready to expand on his impressive flashes last year by constructing a season-long portfolio of punishing defensive highlights. The indications are good as the Sooners are hanging around the head of the Top 25 polls early in the season, rubbing elbows with perennial favorites like Alabama and Clemson. And a recent stunning victory over the powerhouse Ohio State on September 9 gives Gallimore and his Oklahoma teammates a herculean dose of momentum to carry forward for BCS playoff contention.

In many ways, it’s all just beginning for Gallimore as he sheds the notion of being the best from Canada and builds a reputation of being one of the best anywhere. Unlike a poker amateur stepping up to a major tournament with no skills to back them up, Gallimore has quickly learned the ropes on college football’s biggest stages by continually improving in performance on the D-line, smashing and bashing opponents to the turf with abandon along the way. If Gallimore keeps up at this pace, his next stop could likely be as a bruise-maker in the NFL. After all, he certainly has the pedigree on his side — over 300 players from the U.S. Army All-American game have gone on to suit up for NFL teams.