Life as a collegiate student-athlete, no matter the sport, can be tough. But it’s something David Omopariola takes to heart.

“So right now, I'm taking 15 credits," Syracuse defensive lineman David Omopariola said. "Next semester, I'm taking like 15. By the summertime, I'm taking like two, three courses. So that is a lot of workload.”

As a redshirt freshman, he’s on track to graduate a year early in 2025.

“Do everything like you do everything," Omopariola said. "So I kind of think of the same thing. Like if I care so much about football, so much about school, too ... I'm a student athlete, so [being a student has] got to come first. So yeah, I like to stay on top of my school.”

Success in the classroom is breeding success on the field, where he’s starting to become more of a contributor late in the season, learning through the first 10 games of the season from guys like Marlowe Wax and Fadil Diggs.

“I really like his technique and how detailed he is and like how good of a leader he is too," Omopariola said of Diggs. "So I paid close attention to how he moves and stuff like that. Every day, I kind of take mental notes even when I'm not playing and I'm on the sidelines. I look at how he plays when I go out there. I just do the same thing they're doing, and that works for me.”

He’s setting himself up to be an impact player as his career progresses.

“I'm so proud of him," head coach Fran Brown said. "I told him the other day that, you know, we got Diggs and all those guys leaving, it's time for you to start to be a leader now and start to take over. Start talking and doing it. He leads by example. Now we need to have him become a little bit more vocal, but he's a great kid, a real good kid.”

Omopariola spent his high school days at Woodlawn High School in Baltimore County, Md. — a place Omopariola says not many high-profile athletes come out of.

“Last week, I got in contact with the athletic director at Woodlawn, trying to set up like a Zoom meeting with the athletes, all the athletes in Woodlawn," he said. "So I can start some things and motivate them to be better athletes and strive for more."