Nadame Tucker used his sister as inspiration to play football

When Nadame Tucker was starting his football career he had no idea he would have colleges all over the country recruiting him.

Tucker did not start playing football until his senior year. He spent most of his high school days playing basketball. And then something changed in his life that made him decide to try his skills on the gridiron.

“I had people telling me I should play football and I told them I didn’t want to play,” he said. “I didn’t have the body for it. And then my sister passed away when she was seven years old, and I was a senior. I wanted to do something different and do something for her, so I started playing.

“I was nervous, but I played for her. You could say she is the reason I play so hard and give it everything.”

Tucker said when his sister Precise passed away that gave him the drive to try football. He said he gives his family a lot of credit for supporting him and being there.

He said the support came from everybody including his mother Nadege Ogarrow and father Damien Tucker. He mentioned his sisters Damoni and Precise along with brothers Daizae, Denaz, Dwayne, and Khyam.

“Growing up in Harlem is tough,” Tucker said. “They have all done a lot for me. I owe my parents a lot of credit.”

His main sport was basketball growing up. He played that through his senior year until he realized football could be his ticket in college.

“I've always known about KU as a school, not too much of the football team because I wasn't a football player growing up,” he said. “I was a basketball player, so I was definitely familiar with the basketball program.”

There were lower-level offers to play basketball, but Tucker wanted to pursue football. He said as a non-qualifier that meant the junior college route was his best choice.

After a solid season this year at Hutchinson the offers started rolling in. Kansas defensive coordinator Brian Borland recently watched a game and the Jayhawks followed with an offer.

“He's the one that offered me,” Tucker said of Borland. “He's been pretty much just letting me know how special it is there. It's the atmosphere and how I can really get things going there. It's a big platform you get play on.”

At 6-foot-4, 240 pounds he has the size that has attracted attention from college recruiters. From his defensive end position in seven games, he had 38 tackles and nine sacks.

Tucker plans to visit Kansas but has not decided whether he will use an official visit. Since Lawrence is close, he might use an unofficial visit where he could drive.

He will start narrowing his list of schools down soon since he will graduate in December.

“I'm looking at coaching and the type of people I'm dealing with on a daily basis,” Tucker said. “I’m looking for a good atmosphere. I want to be in a good college town. It will come down to the type of coaches I'm be dealing with, and how far I can elevate my game.

He continued: “I want to be a new kid in the class just learning techniques and new things about the game. It’s important, that I get that good coaching, to actually get me to the league in the next two years.”