SHAWNEE — Aditya Singh understands the odds of hearing his name called during the NFL Draft.“Yeah,” he said, “it’s a long shot.”Ditto for getting signed as an undrafted free agent, going to camp or making a rosterBut none of that is stopping the Oklahoma Baptist defensive tackle from forging ahead with the biggest of football dreams. Being a long shot never deterred him before. Why would it now?Especially when he has a chance to make history — Singh would be the first full-blooded Indian American in the NFL.When the NFL Draft starts Thursday evening in Pittsburgh, players such as Fernando Mendoza and David Bailey, Caleb Downs and Jeremiyah Love will be front and center.
But among the 5 million or so Indian Americans in the United States, not to mention the 1.47 billion people in India, the most populous nation in the world, no player will be more watched than Singh.And he knows it.More: NFL draft trades: Much ado about nothing? Or will Cardinals, others upend Round 1?“This NFL journey, this road that I’m on is far bigger than myself,” he said. “It gives me a burning passion. … At the end of the day, this opportunity, any NFL opportunity, would create a huge opening for my community.”Both of Singh’s parents were born in India before moving to the United States.
His father often jokes about how he arrived.“He had $20 in his pocket,” Singh said. “That’s about it.”But both of his parents had a dream and a work ethic to turn it into a reality. Every day growing up in New Jersey, Singh watched his mom and dad tirelessly toil.
His father, for instance, worked in information technology, and he was always on conference calls or taking online courses.Singh adopted a similar attitude when he realized his passion for football.When a scholarship to an FBS program didn’t come, he opted to take a preferred walk-on spot at UMass. When the coaches wanted him to play offensive line even though he felt better suited for defensive line, he had to try.More: 2026 NFL Draft host city Pittsburgh readies for record crowds: 'Gonna be nuts'But after a couple of seasons not seeing the field, he decided to bet on himself and ask to be moved to defensive line.“I just love the fact that you know the odds are stacked against you,” he said of playing defensive line.
“You’re gonna have to deal with someone every play, most of the time two people, trying to attack you.“I just fell in love with the violence and the process that it took to be a good defensive lineman.”Eventually, Singh left UMass — he took a bachelor’s degree with him — and transferred to Division II Southern Connecticut State. After a season there, he transferred again, this time to Oklahoma Baptist in Shawnee.Last fall, he played 710 of the Division II Bison’s 793 defensive snaps.“That’s unheard of for an interior defensive tackle,” he said.It’s certainly rare.According to Pro Football Focus, only two interior defensive linemen at the FBS level played 700 or more snaps last season.
OU defensive tackle David Stone had the most of any in the state with 454 snaps.Playing that many snaps while finishing the season with 47 tackles was huge for Singh.“Being able to deal with that, I knew I could play at the professional level,” he said. “Being able to stand in there, be strong and still make plays, I was able to prove what I’ve been trying to prove for the past X amount of years.”More: We asked 5 AI chatbots to predict the 2026 NFL Draft. Here's how it wentHe decided to try to prove himself to NFL scouts.
Singh set about training at TEST Football Academy, back home in New Jersey, then played in a couple of senior showcases, The FCS Bowl and The Dream Bowl. Then at UMass’s pro day, where he met with reps from several teams, including the Patriots and 49ers, he posted some impressive numbers. His three-cone drill time of 7.82 seconds, for instance, was better than former OU standout Gracen Halton’s 8.09 at the NFL Combine.
Halton is widely considered one of the top 10 defensive tackles in the draft.Test numbers do not an NFL player make, but Singh, who’s listed at 6-foot-1, 280 pounds, said having numbers similar to players who had been invited to the combine was a confidence builder.“It proves to me that I belong,” he said, then clarified. “Not only belong, I can thrive.”If an NFL team agrees, Singh would become a pioneer. More: 2026 NFL mock draft: What Dexter Lawrence trade might mean for Giants, first roundSanjay Beach and Brandon Chillar, both of whom had Indian heritage, played in the NFL.
But as far as anyone knows, there’s never been a player born to two Indian parents who made the league.“Obviously, I know how many people are following this journey, how many people are connected to it,” Singh said, “and it absolutely creates a sense of pressure. Because at the end of the day, it’s bigger than me.“It’s for my family. It’s for my community.
And that’s what creates the pressure. But pressure creates purpose, too.”He’s faced pressure before. Long odds, too. None of it stopped A