Eku Leota

Eku Leota
No. 53 – Pittsburgh Steelers
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	May 11, 1999 (age 25); Asheville, North Carolina, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	252 lb (114 kg)
Career information
High school:	Asheville
College:	Northwestern (2018–2020); Auburn (2021–2022)
Undrafted:	2023
Career history
	Carolina Panthers (2023–2024); Pittsburgh Steelers (2024–present);
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
	Third-team All-Big Ten (2020);
	Stats at Pro Football Reference

Eku Leota (born May 11, 1999) is an American professional football linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Northwestern before transferring to Auburn.

Early life

Leota grew up in Asheville, North Carolina and attended Asheville High School.^[1]

College career

Leota began his college football career at Northwestern and redshirted his true freshman season.^[2] He had 2.5 sacks as a redshirt freshman. Leota was named third-team All-Big Ten Conference during his redshirt sophomore season.^[3] He entered the NCAA transfer portal at the end of the regular season.^[4]

Leota ultimately transferred to Auburn.^[5] He made 23 tackles with ten tackles for loss and seven sacks in his first season with the team.^[6] Leota suffered a season-ending pectoral injury in the fifth game of the Tigers' 2022 season.^[7]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
Height	Weight	Arm length	Hand span
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	252 lb (114 kg)	33+1⁄2 in (0.85 m)	9+1⁄2 in (0.24 m)
All values from NFL Combine^[8]^[9]

Carolina Panthers

Leota was signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent on April 29, 2023.^[10] On August 29, 2023, he was waived for final roster cuts, but signed to the Panthers' practice squad the following day.^[11]^[12] He was promoted to the active roster on November 13, 2023.^[13]

On September 17, 2024, Leota was waived by the Panthers, and re-signed to the practice squad.^[14] He was then released again on September 24.^[15]

Pittsburgh Steelers

On October 1, 2024, Leota was signed to the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad.^[16] He signed a reserve/future contract on January 14, 2025.^[17]

References

^ Womack, Chris (September 4, 2022). ""War Eku"; Former Asheville star chasing future while honoring past at Auburn". WLOS.com. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
^ Durando, Bennett (October 14, 2021). "Auburn football's Eku Leota driven by hunger to compete and eat". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
^ Han, Giana (March 14, 2021). "From Wildcat to Tiger, Eku Leota is dangerous to quarterbacks across conferences". AL.com. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
^ Assimakopoulos, Lia (December 21, 2020). "Northwestern WR Kyric McGowan and DL Eku Leota enter the transfer portal". InsideNU.com. SB Nation. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
^ Green, Tom (October 5, 2021). "Northwestern transfer Eku Leota making most of new opportunity at Auburn, in SEC". AL.com. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
^ Green, Tom (January 11, 2022). "Auburn edge defender Eku Leota returning for senior season". AL.com. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
^ "Bryan Harsin says Auburn football edge rusher Eku Leota likely out for season". Montgomery Advertiser. October 3, 2022. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
^ "Eku Leota Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
^ "2023 NFL Draft Scout Eku Leota College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
^ Gantt, Darin (April 29, 2023). "Panthers agree to terms with undrafted rookies". Panthers.com.
^ Gantt, Darin (August 29, 2023). "Panthers make moves en route to 53-man roster limit". Panthers.com. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
^ Gantt, Darin (August 30, 2023). "Panthers add 11 players to the practice squad". Panthers.com. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
^ Gantt, Darin (November 13, 2023). "Jaycee Horn, Ian Thomas designated to return from IR". Panthers.com. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
^ Gantt, Darin. "Panthers make three moves". panthers.com. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
^ Rizzutti, Anthony (September 24, 2024). "Panthers announce flurry of moves as Adam Thielen, Jordan Fuller head to IR". Panthers Wire. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
^ "Steelers make multiple roster moves". Steelers.com. October 1, 2024.
^ Varley, Teresa (January 14, 2025). "Steelers sign 17 to Reserve/Future contracts". Steelers.com.

External links

[1] Womack, Chris (September 4, 2022). ""War Eku"; Former Asheville star chasing future while honoring past at Auburn". WLOS.com. Retrieved April 26, 2023.

[2] Durando, Bennett (October 14, 2021). "Auburn football's Eku Leota driven by hunger to compete and eat". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved April 26, 2023.

[3] Han, Giana (March 14, 2021). "From Wildcat to Tiger, Eku Leota is dangerous to quarterbacks across conferences". AL.com. Retrieved April 26, 2023.

[4] Assimakopoulos, Lia (December 21, 2020). "Northwestern WR Kyric McGowan and DL Eku Leota enter the transfer portal". InsideNU.com. SB Nation. Retrieved April 26, 2023.

[5] Green, Tom (October 5, 2021). "Northwestern transfer Eku Leota making most of new opportunity at Auburn, in SEC". AL.com. Retrieved April 26, 2023.

[6] Green, Tom (January 11, 2022). "Auburn edge defender Eku Leota returning for senior season". AL.com. Retrieved April 26, 2023.

[7] "Bryan Harsin says Auburn football edge rusher Eku Leota likely out for season". Montgomery Advertiser. October 3, 2022. Retrieved April 26, 2023.

[8] "Eku Leota Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved July 6, 2023.

[9] "2023 NFL Draft Scout Eku Leota College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved July 6, 2023.

[10] Gantt, Darin (April 29, 2023). "Panthers agree to terms with undrafted rookies". Panthers.com.

[11] Gantt, Darin (August 29, 2023). "Panthers make moves en route to 53-man roster limit". Panthers.com. Retrieved August 30, 2023.

[12] Gantt, Darin (August 30, 2023). "Panthers add 11 players to the practice squad". Panthers.com. Retrieved August 30, 2023.

[13] Gantt, Darin (November 13, 2023). "Jaycee Horn, Ian Thomas designated to return from IR". Panthers.com. Retrieved November 15, 2023.

[14] Gantt, Darin. "Panthers make three moves". panthers.com. Retrieved September 18, 2024.

[15] Rizzutti, Anthony (September 24, 2024). "Panthers announce flurry of moves as Adam Thielen, Jordan Fuller head to IR". Panthers Wire. Retrieved September 25, 2024.

[16] "Steelers make multiple roster moves". Steelers.com. October 1, 2024.

[17] Varley, Teresa (January 14, 2025). "Steelers sign 17 to Reserve/Future contracts". Steelers.com.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]