Nelson Efamehule Agholor (born May 24, 1993) is an

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...

wide receiver for the

New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...

of the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...

(NFL). He played

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

USC USC most often refers to: * University of South Carolina, a public research university ** University of South Carolina System, the main university and its satellite campuses **South Carolina Gamecocks, the school athletic program * University of ...

and was selected by the

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...

in the first round of the

2015 NFL Draft The 2015 NFL Draft was the 80th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. It took place in Chicago at the Auditorium Theatre and in Grant Park, from April 30 to May 2. The previous ...

. During his five seasons with the Eagles, he won a

Super Bowl The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...

title in

Super Bowl LII Super Bowl LII was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2017 season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Philadelphia Eagles defeated the American Football Conferen ...

. Agholor also played one season with the

Las Vegas Raiders The Las Vegas Raiders are a professional American football team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Raiders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West divis ...

before joining the Patriots.

Early years

Born in

Lagos, Nigeria Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 fo ...

, Agholor moved to the United States when he was five years old. He attended

Berkeley Preparatory School Berkeley Preparatory School is a Pre-K to Grade 12 independent, college-preparatory day school affiliated to the Episcopal Church located in Tampa, Florida, in the United States. On this 86-acre campus some of the notable features include: a 7 ...

Tampa, Florida Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and ...

where he played

running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...

, wide receiver, and

defensive back In gridiron football, defensive backs (DBs), also called the secondary, are the players on the defensive side of the ball who play farthest back from the line of scrimmage. They are distinguished from the other two sets of defensive players, the ...

for the Berkeley Buccaneers. He was rated by

Rivals.com Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting in the United States. The network was started in 1998 and employs more than 300 personnel. History Rivals.com was founded in 1998 by Jim Heckma ...

as a five-star recruit and was ranked as the third best wide receiver in his class. He committed to the

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in C ...

in January 2012 over Notre Dame,

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

Florida State Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...

, and

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

College career

As a true freshman in 2012, Agholor played in all 13 games as a backup wide receiver and recorded 19 receptions for 340 yards and two touchdowns. As a sophomore in 2013, he became a starter. Agholor started all 14 games, totaling 56 receptions, 918 yards, and six touchdowns as a receiver. Along with being the leading receiver, Agholor returned punts and kicks for the Trojans. He returned 18 punts for 343 yards and two touchdowns, and 10 kickoffs for 175 yards. Agholor was recognized as a second-team All-American by numerous sports outlets for his punt returning. Agholor returned as a starter his junior season in 2014. He led the team with 104 receptions for 1,313 yards and 12 touchdowns. After his junior season, Agholor decided to forgo his senior season and entered the

Statistics

Professional career

Philadelphia Eagles

Agholor was selected by the

in the first round with the 20th overall pick of the

. He signed a four-year contract on May 7, 2015, worth around $9.4 million with a signing bonus of $5.1 million.

2015

On December 13, 2015, Agholor scored his first NFL career touchdown, a 53-yard reception from quarterback

Sam Bradford Samuel Jacob Bradford (born November 8, 1987) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, most notably with the St. Louis Rams and Minnesota Vikings. He was also a member of the P ...

, in a matchup against the

Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...

. During his rookie season in 2015, Agholor played 13 games with 283 receiving yards and a touchdown.

2016

During his second season in 2016, Agholor played 15 games with 365 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

2017

On March 13, 2017, it was reported that Agholor would switch from the #17, which he wore in his first two seasons, to the #13. He opted to give the #17 to newly acquired free agent wide receiver

Alshon Jeffery Alshon Jeffery (born February 14, 1990) is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at South Carolina, and was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. As a member of the ...

. During the 2017 season, Agholor found more success when he was switched to a slot receiver role. On September 10, 2017, in the season opening 30–17 victory over the

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...

, Agholor had a 58-yard receiving touchdown from quarterback

Carson Wentz Carson James Wentz (born December 30, 1992) is an American football quarterback for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). Wentz played college football at North Dakota State, where he won two consecutive NCAA FCS nat ...

in the first quarter. He finished the game with six receptions for 86 yards. On September 17, in a Week 2 27–20 loss to the

Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The tea ...

, he recorded his second touchdown of the season late in the fourth quarter to cut into the Chiefs' lead. He would end the 2017 regular season with his best season yet, getting more receiving yards and touchdowns than his previous two seasons combined. During

against the

, Agholor finished with nine receptions for 84 receiving yards as the Eagles won 41–33, earning their first Super Bowl championship in franchise history.

2018

On April 30, 2018, the Eagles exercised the fifth-year option on Agholor's contract in order to retain him for the 2019 season. In the 2018 season opener, against the

Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...

, Agholor completed his first career NFL pass attempt to

Nick Foles Nicholas Edward Foles (born January 20, 1989) is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Arizona and was selected in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft ...

on a trick play that went for 15 yards. The play helped set up an eventual

Jay Ajayi Jay Ajayi (born 15 June 1993) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) and professional ''FIFA'' esports player. He played five seasons with the Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles. He play ...

-rushing touchdown in the Eagles' 18–12 victory. In the next game, he scored his first receiving touchdown of the 2018 season as part of an eight-reception, 88-yard performance against the

Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South divisio ...

. He put his best statistical performance of the season in the Week 16 32–30 victory over the

Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...

with five receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown. Overall, in the 2018 season, he finished with 64 receptions for 736 yards and four touchdowns.

2019

In Week 2 against the

, Agholor caught eight passes for 107 yards and his first receiving touchdown of the season. However, with his team down late in the fourth quarter, he dropped a wide-open pass that could have led to the go-ahead score after losing it in the lights of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Eagles lost the game 24–20 as a result. In Week 3 against the

Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...

, Agholor caught eight passes for 50 yards and two touchdowns as the Eagles lost 27–24. Overall, Agholor finished the 2019 season with 39 receptions for 363 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.

Las Vegas Raiders

On March 25, 2020, Agholor signed a one-year contract with the

. Agholor entered training camp competing for a starting wide receiver job against

Tyrell Williams Tyrell Williams (born February 12, 1992) is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at Western Oregon and was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He has also played for ...

Zay Jones Isaiah Avery "Zay" Jones (born March 30, 1995) is an American football wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at East Carolina. Jones is the all-time NCAA Division I career r ...

Hunter Renfrow James Hunter Renfrow (born December 21, 1995) is an American football wide receiver for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Clemson and was drafted by the Raiders in the fifth round of t ...

, and rookies

Henry Ruggs Henry James Ruggs III (born January 24, 1999) is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at University of Alabama, Alabama, where he was a member of the team that won the 2018 College Football Play ...

and Bryan Edwards. At the end of training camp, head coach

Jon Gruden Jon David Gruden (born August 17, 1963) is a former American professional football coach who was a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons. He held his first head coaching position with the Raiders franchise during thei ...

named Agholor the fourth wide receiver on the Raiders’ depth chart, behind Ruggs, Edwards, and Renfrow. Agholor made his debut with the Raiders in Week 1 against the

Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...

. During the game, Agholor caught one pass for a 23 yard touchdown in the 34–30 win. Following an injury to Edwards in Week 3, Agholor stepped into the starting lineup in Week 4 against the

and caught 4 passes for 44 yards and a touchdown. In Week 5 against the

, Agholor caught two passes for 67 yards, including a 59-yard touchdown reception, as the Raiders won 40–32. In Week 7 against the

, he had five receptions for 107 receiving yards and a touchdown in the 45–20 loss. In Week 14, against the

Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...

, he had five receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown in the 44–27 loss. In Week 16 against the

Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...

, Agholor recorded five catches for 155 yards, including an 85 yard touchdown reception, during the 26–25 loss. Agholor finished the season with 48 receptions for 896 yards and eight touchdowns in 16 games (13 starts).

New England Patriots

2021 season

On March 19, 2021, Agholor signed a two-year, $26 million contract with the

. In his Patriots debut, Agholor caught a touchdown from

Mac Jones Michael McCorkle "Mac" Jones (born September 5, 1998) is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at University of Alabama, Alabama, where he set the Nationa ...

against the

in Week 1. He finished the 2021 season with 37 receptions for 473 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games.

2022 season

In Week 2, against the

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...

, Agholor had six receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown in the 17–14 victory.

NFL career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

References

External links

New England Patriots bio

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Agholor, Nelson 1993 births Living people American football wide receivers Las Vegas Raiders players New England Patriots players Nigerian emigrants to the United States Nigerian players of American football Philadelphia Eagles players Players of American football from Tampa, Florida USC Trojans football players