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) |
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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 | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
Benjamin Chinomso Banogu (born January 19, 1996) is a professional American football player from Nigeria. He plays as a defensive end, which is a position on the defense that tries to tackle the opposing team's quarterback or stop their running plays. Ben played college football for two different teams: the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks and the TCU Horned Frogs.
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Early Life and High School
Ben Banogu was born in Nigeria. When he was just six months old, his family moved to the United States. He grew up in McKinney, Texas. Ben went to Prosper High School where he was a talented athlete. He played football and basketball for his school team, the Eagles. He also took part in track and field events. In 2014, Ben decided to attend the University of Louisiana at Monroe on a football scholarship.
College Football Career
Playing for Louisiana-Monroe
When Ben first joined the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM), he "redshirted" his first year. This means he practiced with the team but didn't play in any games. This allowed him to gain experience and get stronger. In 2015, as a redshirt freshman, he became a starter for the ULM Warhawks. He made 5 sacks and 14.5 tackles that stopped the other team from gaining yards. Because of his great play, he was named to the All-Sun Belt Conference Newcomer Team. After this season, Ben decided to leave ULM.
Playing for TCU
In January 2016, Ben transferred to Texas Christian University (TCU). Due to NCAA rules, he had to sit out the 2016 season. This meant he couldn't play in games for a year.
In 2017, Ben became a starter for the Horned Frogs. He had an amazing season, getting 8.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss. He was recognized as a First-team All-Big 12 player. He helped lead the Frogs to their first-ever Big 12 Championship Game. They also won the 2017 Alamo Bowl against Stanford.
During his senior year in 2018, Ben scored his first touchdown in college. He picked up a fumble and ran 47 yards for a score against Iowa State. He finished the season with 8.5 sacks and 18.0 tackles for loss. Once again, he was named First-team All-Big 12. He helped the Frogs win the 2018 Cheez-It Bowl against California. After graduating from TCU, Ben was invited to the 2019 Senior Bowl, a special game for top college players.
Professional Football Career
Indianapolis Colts
In 2019, 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 game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Ben recorded half a sack. A sack is when a defensive player tackles the opposing team's quarterback behind the line of scrimmage.
In Week 8, playing against the Denver Broncos, Ben made a game-winning play. He sacked Joe Flacco and forced him to fumble the ball. This helped the Colts win the game 15-13. In Week 12, he also sacked Deshaun Watson of the Houston Texans.
Dallas Cowboys
On June 7, 2023, Ben Banogu signed with the Dallas Cowboys. However, he was released from the team on August 29, 2023.
