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re: Draft Prospect: Ezekiel Ansah
Posted on 1/15/13 at 11:25 am to blueslover
Posted on 1/15/13 at 11:25 am to blueslover
hadn't looked at Ansah on wiki. It really gives good insight to understanding both his need for refinement and considerable raw skills. He will be one of those guys whose stock swings a lot more from his Sr Bowl and Combine performances than most. Today I think #15 is prolly too much push- more like a late 1st/early 2nd developmental guy. Let's watch the next few weeks and see if he nudges higher.
The wiki story-
Ezekiel Nana "Ziggy" Ansah is an American collegiate football player from Ghana, Africa. He is a linebacker at Brigham Young University. Ansah grew up playing soccer but was recruited to BYU by a Mormon missionary who thought the Ghanaian’s 6' 6" 250-pound frame would lend itself to football.[1] Ansah converted to the LDS faith and was awarded an academic scholarship to BYU in 2008. However, rather than going out for the football team, Ansah, a huge fan of LeBron James, tried out for the basketball team but was cut from both the 2008 and 2009 teams.[2][3] After facing rejection in basketball Ansah did successfully walk on to the BYU track team, where he ran a 10.91 in the 100-meter dash in addition to clocking a time of 21.89 seconds in the 200 meters.[4] Finally, Ansah was persuaded to try out for the football team, and he began playing football for the Cougars in 2010.
Unfamiliar with American football, Ansah had to be instructed in the most basic rules and techniques, even needing help getting on his pads for the first time.[5] Mid-way through he 2010 season Ansah made his first collegiate appearance in the Cougar's game versus Wyoming where he recorded his first tackle. During the 2010 season he saw action in six games on special teams and the defensive line, recording three tackles and a pass breakup.[6]
The 2011 season was Ansah’s fourth year in school but only third year of eligibility. He played sporadically on third downs as a defensive end or outside linebacker, recording seven total tackles for the season.
For the 2012 season Ansah resumed his role as a situation player. However, during week four noseguard Eathyn Manumaleuna hurt his knee and Ansah took his place. Over the final nine games of the season Ansah was third on the team in tackles (48), second in sacks (4.5) and first in tackles for loss (13).
For the 2012 season, Brigham Young led the nation in red zone defense (opponent red zone percentage of .62), was second in rushing defense (84.25 yards/game), third in 3rd down conversion percentage (27.71%) and total defense (allowing 26.33 yards/game), fourth in First Downs defense (14.83/game), and fifth in scoring defense (176 total points). Additionally, the were in the top 25 in passing defense (13th), sacks (22nd), 4th down conversion defense (23rd), and tackles for loss (25th).
Ziggy is the youngest of five children. His father, Edward, was a sales manager for a petroleum company, and his mother, Elizabeth, was a nurse.[13] Ansah is an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS/Mormon Church). Ansah was assigned to room with Kyle Van Noy, a highly touted linebacker, during the 2012 season. The two have maintained a close relationship both on- and off-the-field. Ansah reported in a Sports Illustrated interview that, "Kyle is like a brother to me."
The wiki story-
Ezekiel Nana "Ziggy" Ansah is an American collegiate football player from Ghana, Africa. He is a linebacker at Brigham Young University. Ansah grew up playing soccer but was recruited to BYU by a Mormon missionary who thought the Ghanaian’s 6' 6" 250-pound frame would lend itself to football.[1] Ansah converted to the LDS faith and was awarded an academic scholarship to BYU in 2008. However, rather than going out for the football team, Ansah, a huge fan of LeBron James, tried out for the basketball team but was cut from both the 2008 and 2009 teams.[2][3] After facing rejection in basketball Ansah did successfully walk on to the BYU track team, where he ran a 10.91 in the 100-meter dash in addition to clocking a time of 21.89 seconds in the 200 meters.[4] Finally, Ansah was persuaded to try out for the football team, and he began playing football for the Cougars in 2010.
Unfamiliar with American football, Ansah had to be instructed in the most basic rules and techniques, even needing help getting on his pads for the first time.[5] Mid-way through he 2010 season Ansah made his first collegiate appearance in the Cougar's game versus Wyoming where he recorded his first tackle. During the 2010 season he saw action in six games on special teams and the defensive line, recording three tackles and a pass breakup.[6]
The 2011 season was Ansah’s fourth year in school but only third year of eligibility. He played sporadically on third downs as a defensive end or outside linebacker, recording seven total tackles for the season.
For the 2012 season Ansah resumed his role as a situation player. However, during week four noseguard Eathyn Manumaleuna hurt his knee and Ansah took his place. Over the final nine games of the season Ansah was third on the team in tackles (48), second in sacks (4.5) and first in tackles for loss (13).
For the 2012 season, Brigham Young led the nation in red zone defense (opponent red zone percentage of .62), was second in rushing defense (84.25 yards/game), third in 3rd down conversion percentage (27.71%) and total defense (allowing 26.33 yards/game), fourth in First Downs defense (14.83/game), and fifth in scoring defense (176 total points). Additionally, the were in the top 25 in passing defense (13th), sacks (22nd), 4th down conversion defense (23rd), and tackles for loss (25th).
Ziggy is the youngest of five children. His father, Edward, was a sales manager for a petroleum company, and his mother, Elizabeth, was a nurse.[13] Ansah is an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS/Mormon Church). Ansah was assigned to room with Kyle Van Noy, a highly touted linebacker, during the 2012 season. The two have maintained a close relationship both on- and off-the-field. Ansah reported in a Sports Illustrated interview that, "Kyle is like a brother to me."
1
Posted on 1/15/13 at 11:33 am to blueslover
SI Feature Story from 12/03/12- worth a read to understand where he comes from
In late October 2010, BYU was beating Wyoming 16--10 when coach Bronco Mendenhall decided to conduct an experiment on the opening kickoff of the third quarter. So Ezekiel Ansah trotted onto a field during a football game for the first time in his life. "It was scary," Ansah says. "I was trying to remember what I had been told, but it wasn't easy, especially with a lot of people screaming and yelling."
It should have been easy, because his instructions were simple: "We put him right in the middle of the field and said, 'Whoever catches the ball, run right to that guy,'" recalls Mendenhall. When the ball was kicked, Ansah did as he was told, but he didn't tackle the return man. Still, as he jogged back to the sideline his teammates and coaches mobbed him, shouting Zig-gy! while they smacked his helmet and slapped his butt. Without even realizing it, Ansah had taken out a trio of Wyoming blockers. He'd simply run through them.
"What?" he said.
"You just blew up three guys," players yelled. Ziggy shrugged.
The next day Mendenhall watched the game film with one thought running through his head: We have to find more ways to get Ansah on the field. "Ziggy was not only knocking down players, he was 10 yards in front of anyone else on our team," Mendenhall says. "This is a guy I never took seriously, and now we've had more NFL personnel in our facility this year than in my previous eight years put together."
"When the combines come," said one NFL scout who has been following Ansah since the beginning of the season, "Ziggy will be one of those players where people will be saying, Who in the hell is this guy?"
In late October 2010, BYU was beating Wyoming 16--10 when coach Bronco Mendenhall decided to conduct an experiment on the opening kickoff of the third quarter. So Ezekiel Ansah trotted onto a field during a football game for the first time in his life. "It was scary," Ansah says. "I was trying to remember what I had been told, but it wasn't easy, especially with a lot of people screaming and yelling."
It should have been easy, because his instructions were simple: "We put him right in the middle of the field and said, 'Whoever catches the ball, run right to that guy,'" recalls Mendenhall. When the ball was kicked, Ansah did as he was told, but he didn't tackle the return man. Still, as he jogged back to the sideline his teammates and coaches mobbed him, shouting Zig-gy! while they smacked his helmet and slapped his butt. Without even realizing it, Ansah had taken out a trio of Wyoming blockers. He'd simply run through them.
"What?" he said.
"You just blew up three guys," players yelled. Ziggy shrugged.
The next day Mendenhall watched the game film with one thought running through his head: We have to find more ways to get Ansah on the field. "Ziggy was not only knocking down players, he was 10 yards in front of anyone else on our team," Mendenhall says. "This is a guy I never took seriously, and now we've had more NFL personnel in our facility this year than in my previous eight years put together."
"When the combines come," said one NFL scout who has been following Ansah since the beginning of the season, "Ziggy will be one of those players where people will be saying, Who in the hell is this guy?"
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