Eric Assoua
{{Short description|American football player (born February 6, 1997)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Eric Assoua
| image =
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| position = Defensive end
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|2|6}}
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| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lb = 250
| high_school = St. John's College HS {{nowrap|(Washington, D.C.)}}
| college = Western Michigan (2015–2018)
| undraftedyear = 2019
| pastteams =
- Oakland Raiders (2019)*
- BC Lions (2020)*
- Alphas (2021)
- Pittsburgh Maulers (2022)
- St. Louis Battlehawks (2023)*
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Eric Assoua (born February 6, 1997) is an American professional football defensive end. He played college football for the Western Michigan Broncos.
Early life and high school
Assoua attended high school at St. John's College High School.{{Cite web |last=Hunt |first=Todderick |date=2014-03-19 |title=Rutgers recruiting: Eric Assoua, St. John's College DE, has Knights on top; to visit March 29 |url=https://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/2014/03/rutgers_recruiting_eric_assoua_st_johns_college_high_de_has_knights_on_top.html |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=nj |language=en}} In 2014, he was selected Washington Post Fall All-Met First-team Defense, DMVelite Third-team Defense and WCAC First-team All-Conference. Coming out of high school, he was a 3 star recruit, having offers from Western Michigan, Boston College, Bowling Green and Toledo. He committed to Western Michigan.{{Cite web |title=Eric Assoua Recruit Interests |url=https://247sports.com/recruitment/eric-assoua-38333/recruitinterests/ |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=247sports.com}}{{Cite web |last=Karpinski |first=Mike |date=2014-12-08 |title=Broncos Land 3-Star DE Eric Assoua |url=https://www.hustlebelt.com/wmu-broncos/2014/12/8/7357585/2015-western-michigan-recruiting-de-eric-assoua-commits-to-broncos |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Hustle Belt |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2015-01-21 |title=Washington, D.C. cornerback will join teammate Eric Assoua in Kalamazoo |url=https://westernmichigan.rivals.com/news/washington-d-c-cornerback-will-join-teammate-eric-assoua-in-kalamazoo |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=westernmichigan.rivals.com |language=en}}
College career
In the 2015 season, Assoua played in 11 games, totaling 14 tackles for the Western Michigan Broncos.{{Cite web |title=Eric Assoua - Football |url=https://wmubroncos.com/sports/football/roster/eric-assoua/7217 |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Western Michigan University Athletics |language=en}} In his sophomore season, he played in all 14 games and starting in nine, totaling 47 tackles. In the 2017 season, he played and started in nine games, only recording 18 tackles and two sacks.
In his last season, he played 13 games having 18 tackles and 4.5 sacks.{{Cite web |last=Buckley |first=Nick |title=Western Michigan's key players: No. 14 Eric Assoua to wreak havoc in opposing backfields |url=https://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/story/sports/college/2018/07/20/western-michigan-football-key-players-eric-assoua-disruptive-college-football/799152002/ |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Battle Creek Enquirer |language=en-US}} He also played in the lost 2018 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. He earned a varsity letter in all his years at Western Michigan.
Professional career
Assoua went undrafted in the 2019 NFL draft. He was invited to a rookie minicamp by the Oakland Raiders in April 2019.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-15 |title=Eric Assoua Lands Mini Camp Invite with the Oakland Raiders |url=https://wmubroncos.com/news/2019/4/27/football-erica-assoua-lands-mini-camp-invite-with-the-oakland-raiders |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Western Michigan University Athletics |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Damien |first=Levi |date=2019-04-27 |title=Raiders officially add ten undrafted free agents |url=https://www.silverandblackpride.com/2019/4/27/18520569/raiders-2019-undrafted-free-agent-signing-tracker |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Silver And Black Pride |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Three football Broncos earn chance to compete at next level {{!}} Western Michigan University |url=https://wmich.edu/news/2019/04/53175 |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=wmich.edu |language=en}} He signed with the BC Lions for the 2020 CFL season, but that season was canceled due to COVID-19.{{Cite web |last=Rifino |first=Patrick |date=2023-08-28 |title=Still Building: Get to Know the Seven Newest Battlehawks from the XFL Combine |url=https://xflnewshub.com/xfl-news/still-building-get-to-know-the-seven-newest-battlehawks-from-the-xfl-combine/#google_vignette |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=xflnewshub.com |language=en-US}} In 2021, he played in The Spring League for the Alphas.{{Cite web |last=Sheridan |first=Kyle |date=2021-05-03 |title=The Spring League: Alphas 2021 Spring Roster Breakdown |url=https://xflnewshub.com/alt-football/the-spring-league/the-spring-league-alphas-2021-spring-roster-breakdown/ |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=xflnewshub.com |language=en-US}}
He was chosen in the 2022 USFL draft by the Pittsburgh Maulers.{{Cite web |date=2022-02-21 |title=USFL Draft: Draft Picks, Complete Rosters, Schedule, Draft Order. Guide To USFL Draft Process |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/draft/news/usfl-draft-teams-schedule-order-guide-to-the-usfl-draft-process |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=NFL Draft On SI |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Broncos selected in the USFL Draft |url=https://csnbbs.com/thread-942915.html |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=csnbbs.com}} He played in the 2022 USFL season for the Pittsburgh Maulers. After a XFL-combine in August 2023 he was assigned to the St. Louis Battlehawks.{{Cite web |last=Release |first=Press |date=2023-08-09 |title=XFL Teams Claim Rights for 28 Players following Combine |url=https://uflboard.com/news/xfl-teams-claim-rights-for-28-players-following-combine/ |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=UFLBoard.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Parks |first=Greg |date=2023-07-25 |title=With Showcases complete, XFL Combine invites continue to roll in (Defensive edition) |url=https://uflboard.com/news/with-showcases-complete-xfl-combine-invites-continue-to-roll-in-defensive-edition/ |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=UFLBoard.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Rifino |first=Patrick |date=2023-08-28 |title=Still Building: Get to Know the Seven Newest Battlehawks from the XFL Combine |url=https://xflnewshub.com/xfl-news/still-building-get-to-know-the-seven-newest-battlehawks-from-the-xfl-combine/ |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=xflnewshub.com |language=en-US}}