When former Gophers cornerback Kunle Ayinde walked into the locker room at Blaine High School, he was trying to adjust to new surroundings. The young ninth grader was beginning a new sport — one he had never played competitively before. For the young teenager, everything was new, including how to put on pads.
“There was one other guy in my locker room and I didn’t know anything,” Ayinde said. “Like I didn’t know how to put my pants on, put my pads in, none of that and he kind of just walked me through it.”
The odds have been stacked against Ayinde his entire career. After receiving encouragement to try football, a new sport quickly became a lifelong dream. Ayinde played running back and wide receiver in high school, instantly falling in love with the game. Now, it’s a game that has not only impacted his life, but many others around him.
“Football has been a love because it allows me to use my platform to reach out to many people like kids,” Ayinde said. “Just to be able to touch so many people just from playing the game has been kind of eye-opening for me.”
At the end of high school, Ayinde was starting to receive Division-II interest, but never talked with Minnesota. The Gophers’ coaching staff was at Blaine High School recruiting tight end Duke Anyanwu, but not Ayinde. After attending a few Gophers games and talking with coaches, Ayinde sent his tape to the Minnesota football office. He knew all he needed was a chance.
Little did he know, the door was about to swing open. An ordinary day in Blaine High School’s AP English class, was the start of a journey. The phone rang and he was called down to the football coach’s office. When Ayinde walked in, a surprise was awaiting him.
“I went down there and Coach Kill and Coach Robert Reeves were in there,” Ayinde said. “And that’s when Coach Kill offered me a preferred walk-on and I accepted it right away.”
After earning the chance, Ayinde never looked back. He took advantage of scout team reps for his first two seasons, carving out playing time on defense during his sophomore year. In less than two years, Ayinde was playing Division-I football, despite having limited experience playing defense back.
“[I] was kind of me just figuring out how to really play the position and how to play defense again,” Ayinde said. “My mindset was a scholarship was one of my goals, so after being on scout team for awhile, I knew if I could hang with the guys that were our first offense, then there’s no reason I shouldn’t be able to play on the defense.”
Less than a year later, Ayinde was rotating into the secondary, filling multiple roles. It’s when the coaching staff realized it was time to reward Ayinde with the goal he had been chasing. A morning call into former coach Tracy Claeys’ office turned into an emotional moment for Ayinde. Just a few short years after picking up shoulder pads for the first time, he earned a scholarship to play Division-1 football.
“I gave my mom a call and then she started crying and that’s when it hit me,” Ayinde said.
With such a strong support system behind him, Ayinde’s motivation has always started with his family. From the beginning, his parents worked multiple jobs to make ends meet, but always made sure he had the chance to pursue his dreams.
“Just growing up, seeing how much they sacrificed for me,” Ayinde said. “They always really looked out for me. I was really the only one who played multiple sports growing up, so just the funding of doing a lot of that. It was just kind of surreal just seeing the effort they put and how much love they showed me.”
Months later, Ayinde proved the coaches made the right choice. He helped the Gophers earn a trip to the Holiday Bowl — a game where his fourth quarter pick-six cinched a 17-12 bowl win over Washington State.
The trend continued as Ayinde played multiple positions last season, answering the call when injuries struck the Gophers roster. He provided a veteran presence in the defensive back room, tallying 37 total tackles (2.5 for loss) and one interception in 2017.
Now, the next chapter in Ayinde’s underdog story is about to be written. The defensive back was invited to the Minnesota Vikings’ rookie tryout this weekend. Again, he’ll have odds stacked against him — something he has always embraced.
“I’m grateful because I got an opportunity that I know a lot people are sitting at home wondering where there shot is going to come from,” Ayinde said. “I at least got an opportunity to show somebody what I can do. Just kind of being that underdog and having to prove myself again and again.”
Proving himself is something Ayinde has done his entire career by preparing hard for games or practices. Last year, he spent three to four hours in the film room every day, teaching younger Gophers players along the way. Now, he’s using the same process to prepare for his tryout with help from his brother, Yinka’s, NFL Network account.
“I’ve been watching the defense and the special teams of all last year for this past week or so,” Ayinde said. “I’m always going to be pushing forward toward becoming a better football player and better person,” Ayinde said. “[A team is] going to get someone who is always accountable and always willing to go the extra mile for the team.”
As Ayinde runs through drills with the Vikings, it will be hard not to think abut how far this journey has taken him. From not knowing how to put on pads, to trying out with an NFL team, Ayinde has another chance to beat the odds. For him, it starts just like it has before – with a chance.