Christophe Mongeon, Excellence Sportive Outaouais
Standing at 6’8 and weighing in at 300 pounds, offensive tackle Nolan Latullipe is making waves in American college football.
“I truly believe making a living playing football is a real possibility—whether it’s in the NFL or CFL,” he says. “I’m going to do everything in my power to make it happen.”
Now suiting up for Cincinnati’s Division 1 powerhouse program, one of the most sought-after destinations for elite athletes, Latullipe’s journey started much closer to home.
At around 10 years old, the Gatineau giant followed his friends onto the football field, beginning his career with the Vikings de Gatineau. Originally a quarterback, fate had other plans—he would eventually protect quarterbacks instead.
Playing his entire high school career at D’Arcy McGee, Nolan’s trajectory shifted when he transitioned to the be a line player.
“When I played at D’Arcy, we completely transformed the football program, thanks in large part to Coach Eddy Brown, who led us to regional championships. That’s when I truly fell in love with football,” he recalls.
His standout performances earned him an invitation to the Nike Bowl, where he represented Sélection Outaouais and caught the attention of recruiters. After high school, he chose to play for the Champlain Lennoxville Cougars, one of the most decorated Division 1 program in the RSEQ.
Orginally a defensive lineman, it was head coach J-F Joncas who saw his future elsewhere. “Joncas told me I had to switch to tackle, and it paid off,” Nolan admits.
Training at multiple camps in the U.S., he quickly realized he was stepping into an entirely different league
“It’s a whole different world over there. There are hundreds of thousands of players groomed like machines from a young age. We’re a bit behind in that sense. Sometimes, we wait too long before fine-tuning our athletic abilities. Americans are faster, stronger—we have to catch up.”
Nolan began his collegiate career at the University at Albany, where he made an immediate impact.
Started 27 games at Albany.
Named a First-Team Freshman All-American by Phil Steele in 2023.
Helped lead Albany to the 2023 FCS Semifinals after victories over Richmond and No. 4 Idaho.
Blocked for quarterback Reese Poffenbarger during his record-breaking 2023 season (3,790 total yards, a school record).
Earned CEGEP Division 1 First-Team All-Star honors at Champlain Lennoxville.
After entering the transfer portal, Cincinnati won him over. Now, he sets his sights on securing a starting spot next season. If he succeeds, Latullipe will undoubtedly land on the radar of professional scouts.
When asked what advice he would give to young players from the region dreaming of playing Division 1 football, his answer was clear:
“Effort can’t be coached. Yeah, I was always the tallest, but never the fastest or strongest. You have to work twice as hard if you want to make it—especially in American football. Prepare yourself physically for the next level. Make your days count.”
We have to keep an eye on Nolan, who will be fighting for a starting spot in the Cincinnati program next year.
Will he become the greatest football player to come out of our region? Definitely one to watch closely, as his relentless work ethic could take him far!
with informations of : Excellence Sportive Outaouais, Cincinnati Football
Pictures : Cincinnati Football, LeDroit