Ebenezer Ekuban
No. 91, 96, 98 | |||||||
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Position: | Accra, Ghana | ||||||
Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||
Weight: | 275 lb (125 kg) | ||||||
Career information | |||||||
High school: | Bladensburg (Bladensburg, Maryland, U.S) | ||||||
College: | North Carolina | ||||||
NFL draft: | 1999 / Round: 1 / Pick: 20 | ||||||
Career history | |||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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Player stats at NFL.com · PFR |
Ebenezer Ekuban Jr. (born May 29, 1976) is an American former professional
Early years
Ekuban started playing American football during his junior year at Bladensburg High School. As a senior, he was a two-way player at tight end and defensive end, recording 28 receptions for 546 yards, 5 touchdowns, 76 tackles and 11 sacks. He was also an honor student.
He accepted a football scholarship from the University of North Carolina. As a freshman, he was a backup tight end and played in the final 8 games, making only one reception for 4-yard touchdown.
As a sophomore, he appeared in 10 games, tallying 5 receptions for 62 yards. Against the University of Houston, he had a season-long reception of 22 yards and a 4-yard touchdown.
As a junior, he was moved to
As a senior, he became a full-time starter, registering 96 tackles, 7 sacks (led the team), 3 quarterback pressures, 4 passes defensed, 2 forced fumbles, one blocked kick and a school record 23 tackles for loss. Against Clemson University, he had a career-high 16 tackles (4 for loss), 2 sacks and one forced fumble. He received second-team All-American and All-ACC honors. He also made the Dean's List and received the Jim Tatum award for the ACC's top student athlete, because of his academic achievements.
Professional career
Pre-Draft
Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle |
Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 ft 3+3⁄8 in (1.91 m) |
281 lb (127 kg) |
33 in (0.84 m) |
10+3⁄8 in (0.26 m) |
4.70 s | 1.62 s | 2.73 s | 4.39 s | 7.36 s | 32.0 in (0.81 m) |
9 ft 4 in (2.84 m) | ||
All values from the NFL Combine[1][2] |
Dallas Cowboys
Although the
The Cowboys wanted Ekuban to become the pass-rushing bookend to former Tar Heel teammate
In 2000, he started the first 2 games, before being moved back to a reserve role behind Alonzo Spellman. Although he missed 4 games with a dislocated right toe he suffered in the fourth game against the San Francisco 49ers, he still led the team with 6.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. He also had 25 tackles (4 for loss) and 7 quarterback pressures.
In 2001, he was named the starter at right defensive end, but suffered a herniated disc in the season-opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and had surgery on September 17. He returned to practice on a limited basis on November 9, but still suffered pain and was forced to be placed on the injured reserve list on December 21. He finished with one tackle and one quarterback hurry.
In
In
At the end of the year, the Cowboys did not make an attempt to re-sign him, preferring to instead sign free agent defensive end Marcellus Wiley.
Cleveland Browns
On March 10, 2004, he signed with the Cleveland Browns as a free agent, reuniting with defensive coordinator Dave Campo, who was his head coach with the Cowboys.[4] Playing alongside Gerard Warren and Courtney Brown, who were also considered first round disappointments, he went on to have a strong season with 54 tackles, 2 passes defensed, 2 fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and a career-high 8 sacks in 16 games (11 starts).
In
Denver Broncos
In
In 2006, he had 78 tackles, 7 sacks (second on the team), 2 passes defensed and one forced fumble in 15 starts. Ekuban missed the entire 2007 season due to a right Achilles tendon tear, suffered in the second preseason game against his former team, the Dallas Cowboys.[7]
In 2008, he was re-signed to a one-year $3.12 million contract, to compete with Jarvis Moss and John Engelberger for the left defensive end position. Ekuban was the last remaining "Brownco", as Warren was traded to the Oakland Raiders the year before and Brown and Myers were waived in previous years. He finished the season with 49 tackles, 5 sacks (tied for the team lead), one pass defensed and one fumble recovery in 15 games (10 starts).
In 2009, new head coach Josh McDaniels implemented a 3-4 defense and decided not to re-sign him, since he was not considered a good fit for the scheme.
NFL statistics
Year | Team | GP | Tackles | Fumbles | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Comb | Solo | Ast | Sack | FF | FR | |||
1999 | DAL | 16 | 23 | 19 | 4 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
2000 | DAL | 12 | 28 | 21 | 7 | 6.5 | 2 | 1 |
2001 | DAL | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
2002 | DAL | 16 | 31 | 26 | 5 | 1.0 | 0 | 2 |
2003 | DAL | 15 | 26 | 18 | 8 | 2.5 | 3 | 0 |
2004 | CLE | 16 | 37 | 28 | 9 | 8.0 | 1 | 2 |
2005 | DEN | 16 | 27 | 19 | 8 | 4.0 | 0 | 1 |
2006 | DEN | 15 | 63 | 48 | 15 | 7.0 | 1 | 0 |
2007 | DEN | 0 | Did not play due to injury | |||||
2008 | DEN | 15 | 38 | 29 | 9 | 5.0 | 0 | 1 |
Career[8] | 122 | 275 | 209 | 66 | 36.5 | 7 | 7 |
Personal life
In the fall of 2010, Ekuban assisted the football staff at Regis Jesuit High School in Aurora, Colorado as an assistant coach. He also was hired by the Denver Broncos to serve in their player development department.
Trivia
Ekuban has been said to have "the perfect name for an evil wizard" by BioWare video game writer Brad Prince.[9]
References
- ^ "1999 NFL Draft Scout Ebenezer Ekuban College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
- ^ "Ebenezer Ekuban, Combine Results, DE - North Carolina". nflcombineresults.com. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
- ^ "1999 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
- ^ "Cowboys deactivated Ekuban vs. Philly". 11 March 2004. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
- ^ "Browns send D-lineman to Denver for rusher". 30 March 2005. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
- ^ Jenkins, Lee (15 November 2005). "We'll take that defensive line". The New York Times. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
- ^ "Cowboys 31, Broncos 20". Retrieved May 23, 2020.
- ^ "Ebenezer Ekuban Stats". ESPN.com. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
- ^ "Taking a Knee with 303: Drew Karpyshyn". 27 September 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2020.