The Pittsburgh Steelers have gotten themselves quite an impressive linebacker in Eku Leota. Backed by a superb NCAA resume for Northwestern and Auburn, Leota earned himself the All-Big-Ten honors. Coming to pursue his dreams in the NFL, his energy and passion to after the quarterbacks have garnered him significant praise. Now, with Leota expected to create more ripples as he plays on, here are some insights about Eku Leota’s ethnicity.
Does Eku Leota Belong To The Samoan Family?
Yes, Eku Leota is a Samoan. Born in the Samoan islands, the NFL star moved over to the United States when he was 7 years old. Born to Molly and Petelo Leota, Eku has always credited them for imbibing a strong sense of spirituality and purpose within him. However, his tryst with football came in quite an unexpected manner. Leota received a special gift on his first Christmas in America. And it was a football, given to him by the sister of his mother.
The gift had a long-lasting impact on the young kid as he carried it everywhere with him. And alongside his rise in the football realm, Eku also started to instil the Samoan heritage within himself. His family reunions consisted of Pani Popo(coconut bread rolls) and Keke Pua’a(dumplings). Another notable example of his Samoan roots is that his family used to count pegs in Samoan during card games like cribbage. Thus, with a mixture of talent and values, Leota has grown up to be a unique talent. And his college football stats speak volumes about it.
What Is Eku Leota’s NCAA Record?
Eku Leota stepped into his football career at Northwestern. In his freshman season, Leota had 2.5 sacks. However, bouncing back in an emphatic manner, Leota became the third-team All-Big Ten Conference during his sophomore year. With his time coming to an end for the redshirts at the end of the regular season, he was transferred to Auburn.
Football news: Northwestern transfer defensive end Eku Leota has committed to Auburn, per his Instagram. Former three-star recruit. 5.5 TFLs, 4 sacks last season. pic.twitter.com/Ad8BDktzCN
— Josh Vitale (@JoshVitale) January 30, 2021
Leota started to bloom for Auburn too. The young LB made 23 tackles with ten coming for loss and also recorded seven sacks in his first season. Unfortunately, his season was cut short by pectoral injury, recovering from which, Leota was drafted by the Steelers. Thus, with a lot of expectations coming Eku Leota’s way, it remains to be seen how he will perform in his NFL journey in the future.
Also Read: Did Pittsburgh Steelers’ Russell Wilson Reveal His Retirement Timeline?
