William Kwenkeu
| No. 47 – Minnesota Vikings | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Middle linebacker |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | January 8, 1997 Douala, Cameroon |
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight: | 235 lb (107 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | St. Charles (MD) |
| College: | Temple |
| Undrafted: | 2022 |
| Career history | |
| |
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
| Roster status: | Practice squad |
| Player stats at PFR | |
William Kwenkeu (born January 8, 1997) is a Cameroonian-born American football linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Temple and was signed by the Vikings after going undrafted in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Early life and high school career
Kwenkeu was born in Cameroon in 1997, the son of a high-ranking army officer and Martine Etammane, who named him after Bill Clinton. Kwenkeu attended a Catholic boarding school in Douala until 2012, when his mother, who had moved to the United States two years earlier and worked as a hair stylist and nursing assistant, earned enough money to bring her son over. While attending McDonough High School, Kwenku tried out for the football team as a sophomore, and excelled despite initially not knowing the game's rules. He transferred to St. Charles High School in 2014,[1] where he played running back, linebacker, placekicker, punter, and returner. In 2016, Kwenkeu became the first athlete from St. Charles to play in the NCAA when he accepted a football scholarship from Temple University.[2]
College career
Kwenkeu recorded his first two sacks as a college player during the 2017 Gasparilla Bowl, which helped the Owls to a 28–3 victory.[3] In six years at Temple, he played in 47 games,[4] during which he recorded 183 tackles and seven sacks.[5] Kwenkeu scored his first college touchdown on a fumble return against the Akron Zips, in a game where he also had two sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss, statistics that resulted in him winning an American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week award.[6][7] In his final year, he totaled 51 tackles, three sacks, and one fumble each forced and recovered.[4]
Professional career
The Minnesota Vikings signed Kwenkeu on May 16, 2022 after he participated in the team's rookie minicamp.[4][6] He became the only African-born player on the Minnesota roster, among several other players with African heritage.[8] Kwenkeu was waived by the Vikings at the end of August 2022 as they cut down their roster to 53 players,[9] but was signed to Minnesota's practice squad soon after.[10]
Personal life
Kwenkeu spoke very little English when he first arrived in the United States at age 14 and has credited football with helping him learn the language.[1][8] He became an American citizen in 2017.[3]
References
- ^ a b Hiatt, Gabe (October 29, 2015). "Cameroon native William Kwenkeu has found his voice on the St. Charles football field". Washington Post. Archived from the original on April 6, 2016. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
- ^ Hiatt, Gabe (February 3, 2016). "LB William Kwenkeu signs with Temple to become the first NCAA athlete from St. Charles". Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 4, 2016. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
- ^ a b Narducci, Marc (December 22, 2017). "Temple's William Kwenkeu becomes U.S. citizen just before helping Owls win Gasparilla Bowl". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on October 3, 2022. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
- ^ a b c Ragatz, Will (May 16, 2022). "Vikings sign former Temple LB William Kwenkeu, release Tuf Borland". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on October 8, 2022. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
- ^ "William Kwenkeu College Stats". Sports Reference. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
- ^ a b Peters, Craig (May 16, 2022). "Vikings Sign Undrafted LB William Kwenkeu After Rookie Minicamp". www.vikings.com. Archived from the original on October 4, 2022. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
- ^ "Memphis' Austin, Temple's Kwenkeu, Houston's Nunnery Take Weekly Football Honors". theamerican.org. September 13, 2021. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
- ^ a b Krammer, Andrew (August 6, 2022). "'Bigger than me': Vikings with African heritage part of growing wave in NFL". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on October 13, 2022. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
- ^ Robinson, Sam (August 30, 2022). "Vikings Move Down To 53". Pro Football Rumors. Archived from the original on September 26, 2022. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
- ^ Peters, Craig (August 31, 2022). "Vikings Sign 12 Players to Practice Squad". www.vikings.com. Archived from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from NFL.com · ESPN · Pro Football Reference
- Minnesota Vikings bio
- Temple Owls bio