Cyrus Kouandjio

Cyrus Kouandjio

Kouandjio with Alabama
No. 71 Buffalo Bills
Position:	Offensive tackle
Personal information
Date of birth:	(1993-07-21) July 21, 1993
Place of birth:	Cameroon
Height:
Weight:
Career information
High school:	Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha
College:	Alabama
NFL draft:	2014 / Round: 2 / Pick: 44
Career history
Buffalo Bills (2014–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
Consensus All-American (2013) First-team All-SEC (2013) BCS National Champion (2012, 2013) SEC Champion (2012) USA Today High School All-American (2010)
Career NFL statistics as of 2015
Games Played: 13 Games Started: 2 Player stats at NFL.com

Cyrus Berenice Kouandjio (/ˈkwɑːndʒoʊ/ KWAHN-joh) (born July 21, 1993) is a Cameroon-born American football offensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Bills in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at Alabama.

High school career

Kouandjio attended DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland. He competed in the 2011 Under Armour All-America Game. Kouandjio, a five-star and consensus top offensive line prospect in the nation by Rivals.com, ESPN, Scout.com, and SuperPrep, received offers from over sixty schools, including: Alabama, Auburn, New Mexico, USC, and Iowa. He was the fourth-ranked prospect in the recruiting class of 2011.

His brother Arie is an offensive guard for the Washington Redskins. On National Signing Day, Kouandjio announced on ESPNU that he would attend Auburn University. Later that day it was reported that he had second thoughts about his choice and was still undecided. Then on February 5, 2011, three days later, Kouandjio's brother Arie announced on his Twitter account that Cyrus would attend the University of Alabama.

College career

2011: Kouandjio contributed as a true freshman, playing in eight games until a knee injury in the second half against Tennessee ended his season.

2012: Kouandjio started all 14 games at left tackle. He had the least number of career starts on the Alabama offensive line in 2012. In the 2013 BCS National Championship Game against Notre Dame, Alabama repeatedly ran to the left behind Kouandjio, contributing to 265 net yards rushing and 5.9 yards per rush. On Alabama's third drive Kouandjio pancake blocked Notre Dame defensive end Sheldon Day. Kouandjio ended the 2012 season ranked as the top offensive tackle from the 2011 recruiting class.

As a junior in 2013, Kouandjio was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection. After the season he entered the 2014 NFL Draft.

Cyrus is engaged to his college girlfriend, Elizabeth Van Zandt.

Professional career

2014 NFL Draft

As early as April 2013, Kouandjio was projected as one of the top selections in the 2014 NFL Draft. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He became the fifth Alabama offensive linemen selected in the first two rounds in six years, after Andre Smith, James Carpenter, Chance Warmack, and D. J. Fluker.

Buffalo Bills

After starting in one game in two seasons, Kouandjio moved down the depth chart as the Buffalo Bills' third-string tackle.

Pre-draft measurables

Ht	Wt	Arm length	Hand size	40-yd dash	10-yd split	20-yd split	20-ss	3-cone	Vert	Broad	BP
6 ft 6¾ in	322 lb	35⅝ in	10¼ in	5.59 s	1.93 s	3.19 s	4.84 s	7.71 s	27½ in	8 ft 0 in	21 reps
All values from NFL Combine

External links

• Alabama Crimson Tide bio Archive copy at the Wayback Machine
• Rivals.com Recruiting Profile Archive copy at the Wayback Machine
• Buffalo Bills bio Archive copy at the Wayback Machine