Eli Ankou Bio
Eli Ankou is a Canadian professional football defensive tackle who has spent his career in the National Football League. He played college football for the UCLA Bruins from 2012 through 2016. Ankou is of mixed heritage and is currently engaged to American racing cyclist Shayna Powless, with whom he has been in a relationship since 2013.
Early Life and Background
Eli Ankou was born on June 8, 1994, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He grew up in Canada and attended St. Peter Catholic High School in Orleans, Ontario, where he began his football career as a strong side defensive end.
For his senior season, Ankou transferred to Red Lion Christian Academy in Bear, Delaware, a move that helped raise his profile with college recruiters. His size and positional skills at defensive end eventually earned him a football scholarship to the University of California, Los Angeles.
Family heritage has been a meaningful part of Ankou’s identity. He is an Ojibwe of the Dokis First Nation through his mother, Nicole Bellefeuille. His father, Adolphe, is originally from the West African nation of Togo.
Path to Professional Football
At UCLA, Ankou developed slowly at first. As a true freshman, he did not appear in any games. As a sophomore, he missed most of the season with an injury and saw limited action, appearing in three games as a backup and recording one tackle.
As a junior, Ankou appeared in all 13 games as a backup and posted five tackles, including one for loss. His senior season proved to be his breakthrough, as he became a starter after Eddie Vanderdoes was lost for the season with a right knee injury. He started 11 of 13 games, finishing with 47 tackles, five tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three passes defensed, and one fumble recovery. Notable performances included seven tackles against the University of Colorado and six tackles against Stanford University. He wrapped up his UCLA career with 38 games played, 19 starts, 91 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three passes defensed, and one fumble recovery.
Eli Ankou Career
Early Career (2017)
After going undrafted in the 2017 NFL Draft, Ankou signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent on May 12, 2017. He was waived by the Texans on September 2, 2017, before ever appearing in a regular-season game for the team.
The very next day, on September 3, 2017, Ankou was claimed off waivers by the Jacksonville Jaguars, launching the first sustained stretch of his professional career. He quickly found a role in the Jaguars’ defensive tackle rotation.
Jacksonville Jaguars Era (2017–2019)
During the 2017 season, Ankou appeared in nine games for the Jacksonville Jaguars as a backup defensive tackle. He posted 15 tackles, including one for loss, 1.5 sacks, and two quarterback pressures, showing flashes of pass-rushing potential.
In 2018, his role was reduced, and he appeared in two games as a backup, recording four tackles. On September 1, 2019, Ankou was waived by the Jaguars and re-signed to the practice squad two days later, signaling that his tenure in Jacksonville was coming to an end.
Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts (2019–2020)
Ankou was signed by the Cleveland Browns off the Jaguars’ practice squad on October 22, 2019. He went on to appear in nine games for Cleveland, including two starts, and tallied seven tackles, including one for loss. He was waived by the Browns on September 6, 2020.
On September 7, 2020, Ankou was claimed off waivers by the Indianapolis Colts. He was declared inactive during the first five weeks of the season and was waived on October 17, 2020, after never appearing in a game for Indianapolis.
Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys (2020)
On October 19, 2020, Ankou was claimed off waivers by the Houston Texans for a second stint and placed on the exempt/commissioner permission list before being activated on October 26. He soon moved on to the Dallas Cowboys, joining the team on November 2, 2020, in a trade that sent a seventh-round draft pick to Houston. Ankou appeared in seven games as a backup for Dallas, registering five tackles and one quarterback pressure while helping to shore up a defensive line that had been struggling to stop the run. He was not re-signed after the season.
Atlanta Falcons and Pittsburgh Steelers (2021)
Ankou signed with the Atlanta Falcons on May 17, 2021, but was waived on June 17. He briefly joined the Buffalo Bills on June 22 before being waived on August 15. Ankou returned to the Atlanta Falcons on August 18, 2021, only to be waived again on August 31.
On October 5, 2021, Ankou was signed to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice squad before being released a week later. He then joined the Tennessee Titans’ practice squad on October 26 before being released on November 1, highlighting a nomadic stretch of his career.
Buffalo Bills Era (2021–2024)
On November 16, 2021, Ankou was signed to the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad. He played in six games, recording 10 tackles and one sack. He re-signed with the Bills on February 7, 2022, and later signed a reserve/future contract on January 23, 2023, showing a growing comfort within the organization.
Ankou was released by the Bills as part of final roster cuts on August 27, 2024, before being added back to the practice squad. He was released on December 19 and re-signed to the practice squad again, continuing his long association with the Buffalo organization across multiple contracts.
Driving Style and Strengths
Defensive tackles like Ankou are typically asked to anchor the run defense, occupy blockers, and generate interior pressure. Ankou has shown strength against the run and flashes of pass-rush productivity, including 1.5 sacks during his rookie year with the Jaguars and one sack during his second stint with the Bills.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the signature moments of Ankou’s early career was his 2017 rookie season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, when he posted 1.5 sacks and 15 tackles in nine games as an undrafted rookie. Another came during his second stint with the Buffalo Bills in 2021, when he recorded a sack in his six-game return to active duty.
Eli Ankou Family
Family Background and Heritage
Eli Ankou comes from a multicultural background. He is an Ojibwe of the Dokis First Nation through his mother, Nicole Bellefeuille. His father, Adolphe, is originally from the West African nation of Togo, giving Ankou a heritage that spans North America and West Africa.
Personal Life
Ankou has been in a relationship with American racing cyclist Shayna Powless since 2013, after the couple met at UCLA. As of 2021, the couple were engaged, marking a long-term partnership that has spanned the bulk of his professional football career.
2025 Season Outlook
Heading into 2025, Ankou’s most recent NFL affiliation was with the Buffalo Bills, where he spent multiple stints between 2021 and 2024 and finished the 2024 season on the practice squad. He has shown the ability to contribute on special teams and as a rotational defensive tackle when called upon.
His journeyman experience with the Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, and Buffalo Bills has given him a broad knowledge of NFL schemes. That versatility, combined with his run-defense experience, positions him as a candidate to compete for a depth role on a defensive line in 2025.