BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Marist Veres Royal, a 16-year-old freshman tight end and fullback at Buffalo State, claims to be the youngest NCAA football player ever.
His father, Gregory Charles, showed me his son's passport and birth certificate. Both documents confirm that Veres Royal was born on June 14, 2009.
That means when Veres Royal suited up for Buffalo State's season opener on Thursday night he was 16 years, two months and 21 days old.
It just so happens that Amobi Okoye, a former NFL defensive tackle, became the youngest NCAA football player in 2003.
Okoye was born on June 10, 1987, and took part in his first NCAA football game at Louisville on August 31, 2003. He was also exactly 16 years, 2 months and 21 days old, making both players the same age when they first suited up for their respective college teams.
An NCAA representative could not confirm the official record, and said "NCAA statistics staff does not have the date of birth for players in the stats database Since the NCAA is 119 years old, we can’t say for certainty that someone is the youngest to play college football."
