HOUSTON — Former University of Houston football captain Patrick Paul is taking his talents to South Beach.
Patrick Paul was selected in the second round by the Miami Dolphins in the NFL Draft.
As it turns out, he has few things in common with KHOU 11 reporter Ugochi Iloka.
For starters, they both grew up in Houston and have strong Nigerian family ties.
Paul is very comfortable on the football field. He's an offensive tackle and said he owes a lot of his work ethic to what happened at UH over the five years he played for the Cougars.
"A lot of fond memories on this field so it's great being out here again," he said during a recent return to Houston. "I'm grateful for all my coaches. They instilled great values into me -- with hard work and what discipline can do for you and your career and I'll take that with me throughout my entire life."
Paul doesn't just have his coaches and teammates to thank for their assistance in developing his high level of discipline.
"Discipline was a value instilled in me very young," he said. "The core values that you, as being a Nigerian, could also attest to is just having, you know, parents that, you know, taught you what was right and what was wrong. Being hard on you about grades, about the little things, who you hang out with."
He went to high school in Jersey Village, but his strong Nigerian roots made him who he is today.
"I think it's definitely hereditary. So, yeah, my grandfather being President of Nigeria way back when (played a role in that development)," he said.
He said his grandfather even worked under Britain's Queen Elizabeth.
"He worked his way up from the Army. Being someone who came really from nothing and working his way up to get to that role, working in a place, you know, in London, striving for greatness," Paul said.
That greatness is what he, too, hopes to accomplish with the Dolphins. Paul said he remembers the call from Miami on draft night vividly.
"Thank you for not passing on me," is what he told Miami's Chris Cooper over the phone last month on the second day of the draft.
After he hung up, Paul said he remembered his friends and family cheering while feasting on his favorite Nigerian meal.
"Got a giant, giant pan of egusi soup," he said.
Paul's roots will always be part of his journey.
"I'm always going to rep my city and my culture anywhere I go," he said.