2023: Leads Auburn with 35 tackles through the first five games … ranks 8^th in the SEC in tackles per game (7.0) … leading tackler in the season opener with UMass with 6 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack … career-best 12 tackles, 11-yard sack, 1.5 TFL, 2 QB hurries and a PBU in the win at Cal … SEC defensive player of week: California … 67-yard fumble return for a touchdown at Texas A&M; also led the Tigers with 9 tackles against the Aggies … 7 tackles vs. Georgia
2022: Transfer linebacker who played in first four games of season

Before Auburn: Experienced defender who makes plays at linebacker … played three seasons at North Carolina, recording 62 tackles in 37 games … career-best 10 tackles vs. Texas A&M (2020) … first team all-state and all-USA Virginia at Westfield High for Coach Kyle Simmons … Region 6D and Concorde District defensive player of year as a senior … Concorde district offensive player of year as junior, when 15-0 Westfield won the state title … Northern Virginia player of year … Washington Post all-met … also a track  field letterman

Personal: Birthday is January 22 … son of Juliana Mensah and Paul Manu … brother Larry Asante played at Nebraska and for four NFL teams … enjoys painting … studying in the College of Liberal Art

The recipient of the Defender of the Nation Award will be announced on October 26th from one of the Nation’s (14) military academies and institutions including Air Force Academy, Auburn, The Citadel, Coast Guard Academy, Michigan State, Naval Academy, Norwich University, Ole Miss, Texas A&M University, Virginia Tech, VMI, South Carolina, Villanova, and West Point and is based on exceptional leadership qualities on the field, in the classroom and in the community. The recipient must also exhibit a high standard of integrity by leading through example.

In conjunction with the Football Writers Association of America, the 2023 Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet will be held on Monday, December 4th at the Charlotte Convention Center.  In addition to honoring the Defender of the Nation Award winner, the banquet will celebrate the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Legends Award. Clemson University’s Jeff Davis from the Class of 1981 will be honored as the 2022 Legends Award recipient and Texas Christian University Head Coach Sonny Dykes is slated as the keynote speaker.

ABOUT THE CHARLOTTE TOUCHDOWN CLUB
The Charlotte Touchdown Club is a non-profit organization founded in 1990 for the purpose of promoting high school, collegiate, and professional football in the Charlotte, N.C., region. The club’s activities and services focus community attention on the outstanding citizenship, scholarship, sportsmanship, and leadership of area athletes and coaches. Since 1991 the club has raised and donated nearly $3 million to benefit area high school and collegiate athletics. For more information, contact John Rocco (704-347-2918 or jrocco@touchdownclub.com). The official website of the Charlotte Touchdown Club is touchdownclub.com.