BIOGRAPHY
A.J. Epenesa was born September 15, 1998, in Oak Park, Kansas. He is a defensive end in the NFL.
After his freshman season, Epenesa was named to the All-Freshmen Big Ten team. Notably, his first college sack came against future Buffalo Bills teammate Josh Allen during a game against Wyoming.
Epenesa did not start any games during his sophomore season, but still broke into the double digits for sacks and returned a fumble recovery for a touchdown. His 11 sacks on the year led the Big Ten Conference, and his four fumble recoveries tied for the conference lead. He was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after games against Iowa State and Illinois. Epenesa was named first-team All-Big Ten by the media and second-team by the coaches. Before his junior season, Epenesa was projected as a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, with some estimations placing him as high as second. Scouts touted both his strength and work ethic on the field. Following a junior season with 11.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, and 49 tackles, Epenesa announced that he would forgo his senior year and declare for the 2020 NFL Draft. After three seasons, he finished tied for 4th on Iowa's career sacks list. Epenesa, who is of Samoan ethnicity, was named to the preseason Polynesian College Player of the Year Watch List in 2018 and 2019. He was one of five finalists for the award in 2018.
The Buffalo Bills selected Epenesa in the second round, 54th overall, of the 2020 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year, $5.877 million contract, including a $1.834 million signing bonus, with the Bills on May 7, 2020. In Week 3 of the 2020 season, Epenesa recorded his first career sack in a 35–32 win over the Los Angeles Rams, tackling quarterback Jared Goff for a loss during the first quarter.
