Former cornerback David Obadein has bright future as college linebacker
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois sophomore linebacker David Obadein found out late last week that he’d be making his first-career start for the Salukis versus SEMO, replacing injured veteran Chris Presto in the lineup.
Despite having played only two snaps on defense in the team’s first two games, Obadein was confident.
“When I get out on the field, there shouldn’t be any drop off,” Obadein said. “I’ve trained my mind, my body the same way. It should be the same expectation, and I just took it upon myself to go cut it loose.”
Obadein finished the game with three tackles and made a key fourth-quarter interception off a tipped ball, returning the pick 57 yards and setting up the clinching touchdown.
“He’s playing behind Presto, who is a phenomenal player,” said defensive coordinator Lee Pronschinske. “David didn't flinch. He took advantage of the opportunity and played really well.”
As a cornerback at Plainfield High School (IL), Obadein wasn’t highly recruited and had to be talked into attending a prospect camp in the summer of 2024. It’s a good thing he did, because that’s where he caught the eye of SIU assistant Mac McLeran.
“I wasn't planning on going, but my best friend convinced me,” Obadein recalled. “I ended up doing pretty well, and Coach Mac came up to me in the corners line and asked, ‘how would you like to play linebacker?’ He wrote my name down and that's something that stuck with me throughout the whole camp, gave me a little more juice, more motivation.”
A couple weeks later, Obadein had a scholarship offer from Southern Illinois.
“I just went full throttle and committed,” Obadein said. “It opened my eyes that this opportunity could be a reality, not just a dream.”
He weighed 185 pounds as a high school senior and added 10 pounds to his 6-foot-2 frame by the start of Southern’s training camp in the fall of 2025. His top-end speed immediately stood out, and Obadein became the rare true freshman to make an impact, playing all 12 games and recording 13 tackles. In his first collegiate game versus Thomas More, he even had a pick-six.
“That was an incredible moment,” he said. “I still think about it every so often. I almost blacked out from that moment. I didn’t do anything special. I was just doing my job, but my head was spinning as a freshman would be.”
Fast-forward to 2026, and Obadein has bulked up to 215 pounds without losing any speed. He’s perfectly suited for the Sam linebacker position in Southern’s defense.
“The position requires a lot of man coverage,” he explained. “It’s similar to a corner in terms of technique, having to open up your hips and know when to break down, when to turn around and attack the ball.”
Obadein played 60 snaps and graded-out well last Saturday, and linebackers coach Tom Rebholz is excited about the 19-year-old linebacker’s future.
“I would say the sky as a limit is an understatement,” Rebholz said. “From a talent standpoint, he has every single skill set that you want in a linebacker — explosive, runs fast. He's long, he enjoys playing downhill, and he's a tough kid.”
The only thing Obadein’s lacking at this point is experience.
“Making that transition from cornerback to linebacker is not an easy thing to do,” Rebholz said. “Most college linebackers have been playing the position since pee-wee football. Where he's at mentally is really impressive, but it's not a surprise. He's a smart kid. He has the ability to become a special football player if he continues focusing on the details, not worried about results, and just loving the game the way he loves the game.”
Obadein’s parents, Yomi and Damilola, attended Saturday’s game, and his mom was worried when it appeared her son was injured following the interception. It was only leg cramps from the heat.
“My mom ran down from the stands to see if I'm okay,” Obadein smiled. “I just blew her a kiss and told her I’m fine, it’s just part of the game.”
The SEMO game showed him how much potential he has to make an impact on Southern’s defense.
“It was a good game, but I could be so much better,” he said. “There's so many areas I could have cleaned up, but it really opened my eyes to the experience of playing against another team and how much more work and experience I still need to gain.”
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