Sam Acheampong
{{short description|Canadian football defensive lineman}}
{{Infobox CFL biography
| team =
| number =
| image = 2024, 95, Sam Acheampong.jpg
| image_upright = 1
| caption = Acheampong with the Edmonton Elks in 2024
| position1 = Defensive lineman
| status = Active
| import = no
| CIS = Wilfrid Laurier
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1996|01|12}}
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 4
| weight_lb = 265
| birth_place = Brampton, Ontario, Canada
| CFLDraftedYear = 2020
| CFLDraftedRound = 2
| CFLDraftedPick = 20
| CFLDraftedTeam = Toronto Argonauts
| playing_team1 = Toronto Argonauts
| playing_years1 = {{CFL Year|2021|2023}}
| playing_team2 = Edmonton Elks
| playing_years2 = {{CFL Year|2023|2024}}
| career_highlights=
- Grey Cup champion ({{CFL Year|2022}})
| CFL = sam-acheampong/165745/
}}
Samuel Acheampong (born January 12, 1996) is a Canadian professional football defensive lineman. He most recently played for the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
University career
Acheampong attended Wilfrid Laurier University from 2015 to 2019 and played for the Golden Hawks, while being named a First Team OUA All-Star in his final year.{{Cite web|date=2020-04-04|title=Acheampong: 'Any team that's willing to give me a shot, I'm game'|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2020/04/04/acheampong-team-thats-willing-give-shot-im-game/|access-date=2021-10-31|website=CFL.ca|language=en}}
Professional career
= Toronto Argonauts =
Acheampong was selected 20th overall by the Toronto Argonauts in the second round of the 2020 CFL Draft.{{Cite web|date=2020-05-01|title=Meet the 2020 Argos Draft Class|url=https://www.argonauts.ca/2020/05/01/meet-2020-argos-draft-class/|access-date=2021-10-31|website=Toronto Argonauts|language=en}} After the cancellation of the 2020 CFL season, he made the team's active roster following training camp in 2021 and played in his first professional game on August 7, 2021. Acheampong recorded his first career sack and a blocked field goal attempt in a Week 13 playoff-clinching win over the BC Lions on October 30, 2021.{{Cite web|date=2021-10-30|title=Argos punch playoff ticket in OT win over Lions|url=https://www.cfl.ca/games/6183/bc-lions-vs-toronto-argonauts/|access-date=2021-11-01|website=CFL.ca|language=en}} He played in all 14 regular season games in 2021 where he had 16 defensive tackles and two sacks.{{cite web|url=https://www.argonauts.ca/players/sam-acheampong/165745/ |title=Sam Acheampong |publisher=Toronto Argonauts |access-date=November 22, 2022}}
In 2022, Acheampong played in 16 regular season games where he recorded 19 defensive tackles, one special teams tackle, and one sack. He played in both the East Final and 109th Grey Cup and won his first Grey Cup championship following the Argonauts' victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. To start the 2023 season, Acheampong played in one of the team's first three games while being a healthy scratch for the other two.
= Edmonton Elks =
On July 8, 2023, Acheampong was traded to the Edmonton Elks in exchange for a fifth-round selection in the 2024 CFL Draft and the rights to Xavier Gipson.{{cite news|url=https://www.goelks.com/2023/07/08/transactions-elks-acquire-sam-acheampong-dl/ |title=Transactions {{!}} Elks acquire Acheampong from Argos |publisher=Edmonton Elks |date=July 8, 2023}} He played in 12 regular season games, starting in four, where he had 15 defensive tackles and one sack.{{cite web|url=https://static.cfl.ca/wp-content/uploads/2050/11/2024-CFL-Guide-Digital.pdf |title=2024 CFL Guide |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=May 23, 2025}} In 2024, Acheampong played in the first six games of the regular season, recording eight defensive tackles, before suffering a season-ending injury and sitting out for the rest of the year.{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/transactions/2024/ |title=Transactions – Football player trades and signings |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=May 23, 2025}} He was released during training camp in the following season on May 23, 2025.{{cite news|url=https://www.goelks.com/2025/05/23/transactions-elks-make-changes-on-the-defensive-line/ |title=Transactions: Elks make changes on the defensive line |publisher=Edmonton Elks |date=May 23, 2025}}
Personal life
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.goelks.com/players/sam-acheampong/165745/ Edmonton Elks bio]
- {{commonscatinline}}
{{109th Grey Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Acheampong, Sam}}
Category:Canadian football defensive linemen
Category:Edmonton Elks players
Category:Players of Canadian football from Brampton