Tobi Haastrup had not even played his first-ever football game on any level at this time last year. The London-native is now projected to play a role for Oregon at outside linebacker as a true freshman.
You would not know that he is only 18 years old!
Haastrup’s rise to college football relevance has been nothing short of remarkable. His monstrous frame certainly helped to get him to this point.
Who is Tobi Haastrup?
Haastrup was born in England and spent the first nine years of his life in Southeast London. At no point did he show any interest in American football.
His family later moved to Sacramento in 2016 and then to Houston three years later. It was around that time that he started to come into his own as a sprinter and shot-putter— running a blazing fast 10.7-second 100-meter sprint at 6-foot-3, 230(ish) pounds. He also ran the 200.
Football was still not of interest to Haastrup at the time.
However, Mayde Creek High School hired a new head football coach prior to last season. His first priority was to get the massive track star to try something new.
The rest is history!
Tobi Haastrup joined the football program as a defensive lineman with absolutely zero prior experience. He played his first-ever football game on Aug. 30, 2024. The 17-year-old European was so new to the sport that he could not stop lining up offsides and often looked to the sideline for help on what to do.
And yet, Haastrup still finished his first game with five sacks!
More than a dozen FBS programs reached out with scholarship offers less than a week later, including Ole Miss, LSU, Texas A&M and Tennessee. On3 rated him as a five-star recruit.
Haastrup ultimately received 23 offers in total even though he had zero knowledge of the Big Ten or the SEC just a few months prior. Oregon ultimately received his commitment.
How big is he?
The Ducks list Tobi Haastrup on the roster at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds. I am pretty sure he actually weighs closer to 240 (of pure muscle) based only on his appearance.
This full-grown man is a true freshman at only 18 years old:
Oregon linebacker Devon Jackson recently referred to his new positionmate as a “freak of nature.”
“Like really swoll,” he said of Haastrup. “I thought he was a transfer at first to be honest with you. I’m like ‘why are you bigger than me and you’re like 12 years old?'”
Although there is a lot of excitement surrounding the potential of Tobi Haastrup, he has only played football for 12 months in total. The Ducks might choose to preserve his eligibility with a redshirt as he continues to develop.
He could also force their hand with continued dominance at practice. If Oregon’s offensive line can’t stop him, the rest of the Big Ten won’t be able to stop him either…