Canadian offensive lineman Anim Dankwah has officially accepted his invitation to play in the 2024 edition of the East-West Shrine Bowl.
The six-foot-eight, 362-pound blocker has spent the past five seasons at Howard University in Washington, D.C., appearing in 39 games and establishing himself as a three-year starter at left tackle. In 11 games as a senior, he allowed a career-low 11 pressures and two sacks while anchoring an offence that averaged nearly 384 yards per game.
Born in Accra, Ghana, Dankwah immigrated to Ontario to live with his father while attending high school and began playing football at St. Roch Catholic Secondary School. After excelling at the new sport, he moved to The Taft School in Watertown, Conn. to finish his high school eligibility, before landing an opportunity with the Bisons as a zero-star recruit.
A preseason All-American entering the 2023 campaign, Dankwah ranked 11th on the CFL’s initial Scouting Bureau list in August. He was named first-team All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference this year, building off a second-team selection last season. Due to his enormous frame and impressive production, the Brampton product is widely regarded as the top 2024 NFL Draft prospect from a historically Black college or university (HBCU).
The oldest college football all-star game in existence, thousands of East-West Shrine Bowl alumni have gone on to play in the NFL over the past century, including 78 who are enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Since 1985, the game has invited at least one Canadian player to participate from U Sports, though Canadian NCAA players like Dankwah do not count as part of that allotment.
The 99th East-West Shrine Bowl is scheduled to be played on Thursday, February 1 at Ford Center in Frisco, Tex. The game will be broadcast on NFL Network at 8:00 p.m. EST. Before that showcase, Dankwah and Howard University will face the winners of the Southwestern Athletic Conference in the Cricket Celebration Bowl on Saturday, December 16 in Atlanta, Ga. for a chance to be crowned the HBCU national champions.
