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Updated: July 17, 2017

Pronounced ee-CAN-um

2016 Honorable Mention All-ACC (Coaches, ACSMA)
2014 Third-Team All-ACC (ACSMA)

2016-17: Defensive Line Player of the Week (ACC 11/28) ... Started all 13 games participated in ... Totalled 36 tackles, including 10 for loss and 7.5 sacks ... Credited with 11 quarterback hurries ... Had one sack for four yards against Arkansas in the Belk Bowl ... Tallied four tackles against Clemson in the ACC Championship ... Had two tackles including one sack against Virginia ... Was in on six tackles and had two tackles for loss against Notre Dame ... Had two tackles against Georgia Tech ... One tackle in the win at Duke ... Credited with a tackle against Pitt ... Recorded two tackles against Syracuse ... Defended one pass against North Carolina ... Talliew two sacks and two quarterback hurries against ECU ... Was in on three tackles against Boston College ... Had five tackles and 1.5 sacks against Tennessee ... Recorded four tackles including a sack against Liberty.

2015-16: Started all 13 games at defensive end … Totaled 740 plays, including 694 as linebacker and 46 on special teams during the regular season … Tallied 39 tackles with 9.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks … Also forced two fumbles with six quarterback hurries, three breakups and three passes defended … Had a hurry vs. Ohio State … Posted four tackles with one pass breakup and pass defended each vs. Furman … Tallied three tackles at Purdue … Forced one fumble and made two tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss at East Carolina … Had a quarterback hurry vs. Pittsburgh … Posted a career-high nine tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks while also tallying 1.5 sacks, one pass breakup, one pass defended and one quarterback hurry vs. NC State … Made three tackles at Miami … Posted three tackles with two quarterback hurries vs. Duke … Notched five tackles with 1.0 sack, 2.0 tackles for loss at Georgia Tech … Logged three tackles with 1.0 tackle for loss and one pass breakup, one pass defended and one hurry vs. North Carolina … Forced a fumble with three tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss at Virginia ... Had two tackles including 1.0 tackles for loss and a sack in the Independence Bowl vs. Tulsa.

2014-15: A third-team All-ACC selection by ACSMA … A second-team all-state selection by The Roanoke Times … Started all 13 games … Logged 846 plays, 722 at end and 124 on special teams … Finished the season with 53 tackles, including 14.5 for loss and a team-high 9.5 sacks … Made the first start of his career against William & Mary, assisting on three tackles, including one for loss … Had three tackles and a hurry in the win at Ohio State … Made six tackles, including 3.5 for loss, and added two hurries against East Carolina … Made a tackle against both Georgia Tech and Western Michigan … Had six tackles, including three sacks for a loss of 20 yards, also forcing a fumble at North Carolina … Was named the ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week after his performance at North Carolina … Made three tackles at Pitt … Had four tackles and a hurry against Miami … Made five tackles against Boston College… Had four tackles at Duke … Made seven tackles, 2.5 for a loss of 13 yards, also adding three QB hurries, at Wake Forest … Had three tackles, two sacks for a 20-yard loss and two hurries in the win at Virginia … Recorded seven tackles and a sack against Cincinnati in the Military Bowl … Had off season shoulder injury and missed spring practice.

2013-14: Played in 11 games … Was in on 76 plays, 69 on special teams and seven more on defense, making three tackles on the year … Saw action on special teams in the season opener against Alabama … Appeared on defense and special teams, helping on a pair of tackles against Western Carolina … Was in on special teams at Georgia Tech and against North Carolina … Made a tackle while in on special teams against Pittsburgh … Saw action on defense and special teams against Duke … Was in on special teams at Boston College and Miami … Saw action on special teams against Maryland, at Virginia and in the Sun Bowl.

2012-13: Worked at defensive end while taking a redshirt year … Recorded a 320-pound bench press, a 350-pound front squat and a 270-pound push jerk in fall scout team testing … Registered three tackles for loss, including a sack, during the first spring scrimmage … Added a sack in the final scrimmage and added three tackles during the spring game.

High School: A SuperPrep and PrepStar All-American for Coach Chris Haddock at Centreville High … A National Underclassmen Combine East Regional Second-Team All-America selection … Named the Group AAA Defensive Player of the Year by VirginiaPreps … Also a first-team Group AAA all-state selection at defensive line by VirginiaPreps … The Co-Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team all-state selection at the Group AAA level by the Virginia High School Coaches Association … The Northern Region Player of the Year … A two-time All-Met selection by The Washington Post … Made the first team his senior year as a defensive lineman … Led Centreville to the Virginia Group AAA Division 6 title game … Racked up 72 tackles his senior year, including 18 sacks, to go along with 32 quarterback pressures … Also caught eight touchdown passes … Had a 4.5-sack performance in the state semifinals against Hermitage … Tore his ACL and meniscus in the state title game and underwent surgery in late December, 2011 … A member of the National Underclassmen Combine preseason East Regional Second-Team All-American Team … Ranked as the No. 197 player in the country overall, the No. 13 weakside defensive end in the country and the No. 7 player in his state by 247Sports … Listed as the No. 209 overall prospect in the country, the No. 15 outside linebacker in the country and the No. 8 prospect in Virginia by Rivals … Ranked as the No. 18 outside linebacker in the country by PrepStar … Rated the No. 4 prospect in Virginia by The Roanoke Times … Ranked as the No. 2 player in the state of Virginia by SuperPrep … Listed as the No. 23 defensive end in the country by Scout … Ranked as the No. 17 outside linebacker in the country, the No. 27 player in his region and the No. 5 player in the state by ESPN Recruiting Nation … Ranked as the No. 196 overall prospect in the country and the No. 19 defensive end in the country by Tom Lemming on MaxPreps … Listed as the No. 202 player in the country and the No. 25 defensive end in the country by Scout.

Personal: Kenneth Ime Ekanem … Born April 8, 1994 in Centreville, Va. … Son of Ime and Mary Ekanem … Has an older brother and an older sister … Degree in management with a concentration in entrepreneurship, innovation and technology management...Currently pursuing a second undergrad degree.