Tumbo Abanikanda
Tokumbo Abanikanda | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 25, 1986 Atlanta, Georgia, United States |
| Occupation(s) | American football linebacker, NFL scout |
| Years active | 2008–present |
| Known for | Playing for Southern Miss Golden Eagles; scouting for Atlanta Falcons |
Tokumbo "Tumbo" Abanikanda (pronounced: A-banna-conda) (born December 25, 1986) is a former American football linebacker. After completing his collegiate career with the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, he was signed as a street free agent by the Edmonton Eskimos in 2009.
Early life
Abanikanda attended Osborne High School located in Marietta, Georgia. Considered a two-star recruit, he posted a 4.62-second time in the forty-yard dash and achieved 20 repetitions of 330 pounds on the bench press. Although he initially committed to Illinois, a late-stage recruiting push led him to ultimately enroll at Southern Miss.
College career
In his senior year at the University of Southern Mississippi in 2008, Abanikanda amassed 94 tackles, including 11 tackles for loss. He also forced three fumbles, recorded two sacks, contributed one pass breakup, and intercepted one pass.
Professional career
Undrafted in the 2009 NFL draft, Abanikanda participated in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie camp but did not secure a contract.
Seeking alternative opportunities, he signed with the Edmonton Eskimos on May 26, 2009. After Derrick Doggett was released on June 10, Abanikanda vied for the starting role at the weakside linebacker position against fellow rookie Mark Restelli. He made his debut on June 17 during a preseason matchup against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, where he recorded three tackles compared to Restelli’s single tackle and interception. Eskimos head coach Richie Hall described their competition as the most closely contested in camp and anticipated one would distinguish himself in the following preseason game versus the BC Lions.
During training camp, Hall gave him the nickname "T. A." due to challenges pronouncing his name. Ultimately, Abanikanda was released on June 25 as part of final roster cuts, with Restelli earning the starting position. Nevertheless, he was added to Edmonton’s practice roster on June 29 before being released again on July 12.
Scouting career
Abanikanda has served as a scout for the Atlanta Falcons in the National Football League.