Ben Banogu facts for kids
Banogu in 2018
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| Position: | Defensive end | ||||||||
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| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | January 19, 1996 Lagos, Nigeria |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 252 lb (114 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Prosper (Prosper, Texas, U.S.) |
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| College: | UL Monroe (2014–2015) TCU (2016–2018) |
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| NFL Draft: | 2019 / Round: 2 / Pick: 49 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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Benjamin Chinomso Banogu (born January 19, 1996) is a professional American football player. He plays as a defensive end. Ben played college football for Louisiana-Monroe and TCU.
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Early Life and High School
Ben Banogu was born in Nigeria on January 19, 1996. When he was six months old, his family moved to the United States. He grew up in McKinney, Texas.
Ben went to Prosper High School nearby. There, he was a talented athlete. He played both football and basketball for the school team, the Eagles. He also took part in track and field events. In 2014, Ben decided to play college football. He signed up to attend the University of Louisiana at Monroe on a scholarship.
College Football Career
Playing for Louisiana-Monroe
When Ben first joined the University of Louisiana at Monroe, he "redshirted." This means he practiced with the team but did not play in games during his first year. This allowed him to gain experience without using up a year of his college playing eligibility.
In 2015, Ben became a starter for the Warhawks. He had a great season, making 5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss. A tackle for loss means stopping an opponent behind their starting line. Because of his strong performance, he was named to the All-Sun Belt Conference Newcomer Team. After this season, Ben decided to leave the program.
Playing for TCU
In January 2016, Ben transferred to Texas Christian University (TCU). Due to NCAA transfer rules, he had to sit out the 2016 season. This meant he couldn't play in games that year.
In 2017, Ben became a starter for the Horned Frogs. He had another excellent year, getting 8.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss. He earned First-team All-Big 12 honors. He also helped his team reach the Big 12 Championship Game for the first time. The Frogs also won the 2017 Alamo Bowl against Stanford.
In 2018, during his senior year, Ben scored his first college touchdown. He recovered a fumble and ran 47 yards for a score. This happened in a home game against Iowa State. He finished the season with 8.5 sacks and 18.0 tackles for loss. For the second time, he was named First-team All-Big 12. He also helped the Frogs win the 2018 Cheez-It Bowl against California.
After his senior season, Ben graduated from TCU. He was invited to play in the 2019 Senior Bowl. This is a special game where top college players show their skills to professional teams.
Professional Football Career
Indianapolis Colts
Ben Banogu was chosen by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2019 NFL Draft. He was the 49th player picked overall, in the second round.
In his very first professional game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Ben recorded half a sack. Later, in Week 8, he helped the Colts win against the Denver Broncos. He made a "strip-sack" of quarterback Joe Flacco in the fourth quarter. A strip-sack means he tackled the quarterback and forced him to drop the ball. This play sealed the 15-13 victory for the Colts. In Week 12, he also sacked Deshaun Watson when playing against the Houston Texans. Ben played for the Colts from 2019 to 2022.
Dallas Cowboys
On June 7, 2023, Ben Banogu signed with the Dallas Cowboys. However, he was released by the team on August 29, 2023.
