Ronald Ollie emerged as one of the first fan favorites to come out of Last Chance U, and viewers will be happy to hear that he's still playing football. The defensive lineman starred in the debut season of the Netflix docuseries when it followed the East Mississippi Community College football team. Ollie played for the Lions for one season under the coaching of Buddy Stephens. The series focused on Stephens' leadership before moving to Independence Community College, and most recently, Laney College. As a junior college (JUCO), most players have dreams of Division I scholarships or making it to the NFL, which was the case with Ollie.
As a native of Mississippi, Ollie enrolled at EMCC as a way to eventually attain a Division I scholarship. He became one of the team's standout stars during the 2015 season, which ended with an 8-1 record. While serving as the comic relief throughout season 1, Ollie also encountered some academic issues. He forged a special relationship with the school's academic advisor, Brittany Wagner, who pushed him to be a better student and athlete. The hard work paid off, and Ollie got his chance at Division I.
In 2016, Ollie left Mississippi behind after receiving a scholarship from Nicholls State University in Lousiana. The player left for a brief time but returned, playing a total of two seasons. Ollie found success with the Nicholls Colonels, being named to the All-Southland Honorable Mention team following his senior year. The next stop on his journey was the NFL, and although it took a while, he eventually got his chance.
Ronald Ollie Has Never Given Up On Professional Football
Ollie was invited to work out for the New Orleans Saints ahead of the 2019 NFL Draft. Though he went undrafted, he did receive interest from the Baltimore Ravens. The team wound up rescinding their offer, but it wasn't long before the Oakland Raiders (now based in Las Vegas) invited Ollie to attend a rookie minicamp. The team ended up making an offer, and his time on the Raiders was documented on HBO's Hard Knocks. Even though Ollie originally made the team, he was later cut in the preseason after an achilles injury forced him to miss training sessions.
Ollie's exit from the NFL in 2019 didn't put a complete end to his football career. The CFL came calling and in January 2020, Ollie signed a multi-year contract to play for the Toronto Argonauts. The league recently cancelled its 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic, but they expect to return to the field in 2021. Seeing as Ollie is signed through 2022, the Last Chance U veteran still has plenty of football left in him.