Eli Ankou facts for kids
Ankou with the UCLA Bruins in 2016
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| Position: | Defensive tackle | ||||
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| Personal information | |||||
| Born: | June 8, 1994 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||
| Weight: | 325 lb (147 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school: | St. Peter Catholic (Orleans, Ontario, Canada) Red Lion Christian Academy (Bear, Delaware, U.S.) |
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| College: | UCLA (2012–2016) | ||||
| CFL draft: | 2017 / Round: 3 / Pick: 26 | ||||
| Undrafted: | 2017 | ||||
| Career history | |||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2024 | |||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||
Eli Ankou (born June 8, 1994) is a Canadian professional football player. He plays as a defensive tackle, a position where he helps stop the opposing team's offense. Eli played college football for the UCLA Bruins.
Eli grew up in Canada, playing high school football for the St. Peter Catholic High School Knights in Orleans, Ontario. For his final high school year, he moved to Red Lion Christian Academy in Bear, Delaware, in the United States.
Contents
- Eli Ankou's Early Life and College Football
- Eli Ankou's Professional Football Journey
- Starting with the Houston Texans
- Time with the Jacksonville Jaguars
- Moving to the Cleveland Browns
- Short Stints with Other Teams
- Joining the Atlanta Falcons
- Playing for the Buffalo Bills
- Back to the Atlanta Falcons (Second Time)
- Practice Squads and More Moves
- Buffalo Bills (Second and Third Times)
- Atlanta Falcons (Third Time)
- Buffalo Bills (Third Time)
- Eli Ankou's Personal Life
Eli Ankou's Early Life and College Football
Eli Ankou attended St. Peter Catholic High School and Red Lion Christian Academy. During his high school years, he played as a strong side defensive end. He was very good at football and earned a scholarship to play for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Playing for the UCLA Bruins
When Eli first joined UCLA, he did not play in any games during his first year. In his second year, he was injured for most of the season. He played in only three games as a backup player, making one tackle.
As a junior, Eli played in all 13 games as a backup. He recorded five tackles, showing his progress.
In his senior year, Eli became a starter for the team. This happened after another player, Eddie Vanderdoes, was injured. Eli started in 11 of the 13 games he played. He made 47 tackles, which was the ninth-highest on his team. He also had five tackles for loss, meaning he stopped opponents behind their starting line. Eli finished his college career having played in 38 games, starting 19 of them. He made 91 tackles in total.
Eli Ankou's Professional Football Journey
After college, Eli Ankou began his professional football career. He joined several teams, often moving between their main rosters and practice squads. This is common for players as teams look for the best fit.
Starting with the Houston Texans
Eli was not chosen in the 2017 NFL draft, but the Houston Texans signed him as an undrafted free agent on May 12, 2017. He was later released by the Texans on September 2, 2017.
Time with the Jacksonville Jaguars
The very next day, on September 3, 2017, the Jacksonville Jaguars picked up Eli. He played in nine games as a backup in 2017. He made 15 tackles and had 1.5 sacks, which means he tackled the opposing quarterback behind the line of scrimmage. In 2018, he played in two games. He was later released by the Jaguars in 2019 but then joined their practice squad.
Moving to the Cleveland Browns
On October 22, 2019, the Cleveland Browns signed Eli from the Jaguars' practice squad. He played in nine games for the Browns, starting two of them. He made seven tackles during his time there. The Browns released him in September 2020.
Short Stints with Other Teams
Eli then had a series of short periods with different teams:
- Indianapolis Colts: He was with the Indianapolis Colts briefly in September 2020 but was released in October.
- Houston Texans (Second Time): He returned to the Texans in October 2020.
- Dallas Cowboys: In November 2020, Eli was traded to the Dallas Cowboys. He played in seven games as a backup, making five tackles. He was not re-signed after the season.
Joining the Atlanta Falcons
On May 17, 2021, Eli signed with the Atlanta Falcons. However, he was released about a month later.
Playing for the Buffalo Bills
Eli then signed with the Buffalo Bills on June 22, 2021. He was released by the Bills in August of that year.
Back to the Atlanta Falcons (Second Time)
Just a few days later, on August 18, 2021, Eli signed with the Falcons again. He was released by them at the end of August.
Practice Squads and More Moves
Eli continued to move between practice squads and active rosters:
- Pittsburgh Steelers: He joined the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad in October 2021 but was released a week later.
- Tennessee Titans: He signed with the Tennessee Titans practice squad in late October 2021 but was released in November.
Buffalo Bills (Second and Third Times)
On November 16, 2021, Eli signed with the Bills' practice squad again. He played in six games for them, recording 10 tackles and one sack. He signed a full contract with the Bills in February 2022. He was released in August 2022 but re-signed to their practice squad in October. He signed another contract with them in January 2023.
In August 2023, Eli was released by the Bills but re-signed to their practice squad.
Atlanta Falcons (Third Time)
On October 4, 2023, the Falcons signed Eli from the Bills' practice squad for a third time. He was released by the Falcons later that month.
Buffalo Bills (Third Time)
On October 25, 2023, Eli signed with the Bills' practice squad for a third time. He signed a contract with the team in January 2024. He was released by the Bills in August 2024 but later added back to their practice squad. He was released by Buffalo in December 2024 and then re-signed to the practice squad.
Eli Ankou's Personal Life
Eli Ankou has a diverse background. His mother, Nicole Bellefeuille, is from the Dokis First Nation, making Eli an Ojibwe person. His father, Adolphe, is from Togo, a country in West Africa.
Since 2013, Eli has been in a relationship with American racing cyclist Shayna Powless. They met while they were both attending UCLA. As of 2021, the couple became engaged.
