Class 2012: Future UCLA Bruin, Eli Ankou, hopes to continue growth in the NCAA (video)

CFC looks at defensive end, Eli Ankou, who is headed for west coast, and the NCAA this fall.

Eli Ankou

Class:
2012

Position:
Defensive End

Height/Weight:
6’3, 275 lbs

Commitment:
UCLA

Teams:
Cumberland Panthers (OVFL)
St. Peter Knights (high school)
Red Lion Christian Academy (high school)

Strong side defensive end, Eli Ankou, has committed to UCLA for the upcoming academic season. Ankou is one of the most highly touted Canadian prospects for the 2012 class, and eagerly anticipates jumping to the next level.

“I really want to pursue a future in the NCAA for football,” says Ankou. “I committed to UCLA last summer and plan to sign there on the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] of February. It is extremely exciting and I am very humbled at this opportunity.”

Though the prospect of suiting up for Bruins has Ankou anxious to get started, the journey that will end in Los Angeles is not something the talented end is eager to forget. He recalls, “My greatest football experience has to be…generally the whole recruiting process because it was a great adventure….”

Though certainly unforgettable, Ankou’s ascendance to potential NCAA force was relatively brief. Having only begun playing the game in 2008, Ankou quickly exhibited a potentially that simply could not be squandered. After suiting up for the Cumberland Panthers, Ankou joined the St. Peter Knights in the nation’s capital, before moving to Delaware where he played varsity for Red Lion Christian Academy.

Since making the journey to the States with good friend and teammate, Sean Decloux, Ankou has sought to gain football experience wherever possible. The 6’3, 275 lbs dominator was a participant of camps at USC, UCLA, and Rutgers, where the standout Canadian was given MVP and Leadership Award honours for his performance at the Elite Badger Challenge.

While success on the field has come in spades, Ankou views the whole whirlwind experience as a tool for growing as a person. The future Bruin credits his family and former coach, Victor Tedondo, with helping him mature and progress as an individual throughout the process.

“The people who have influenced me the most are my family, who have always been supportive,” Ankou reflects. “My brother Dodji has been my best friend in all of this because he gives me a lot of advice on how to carry myself, and helps me out with what he has been through as a teenager…so I really look up to him for that…. [Also,] Victor Tedondo…has helped me to grow so much, and he has contributed so much to my growth as a person and as a student athlete.”

To continue rounding himself off the gridiron, Ankou will study business in management or economics while at UCLA, and hopes for the opportunity to dabble in theatre.

For a preview of what you can expect from Ankou at UCLA, check out the videos posted below.