Towering offensive lineman Dankwah standing out with Toronto Argonauts

Howard offensive lineman Anim Dankwah runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine, Sunday, March 3, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

GUELPH — Even by football standards, Anim Dankwah stands out.

At six foot eight and 350 pounds, the Toronto Argonauts’ rookie offensive lineman isn’t hard to find, on or off the football field. Surprisingly, though, the native of Brampton, Ont., isn’t the biggest player at the CFL team’s training camp roster.

That distinction belongs to American offensive lineman Justin Redd, who’s in his first season with Toronto. Redd, out of East Carolina, stands six foot four but tips the scales at 388 pounds.

Canadian offensive lineman Dylan Giffen also stands six foot eight but weighs in at 346 pounds.

Toronto selected Dankwah in the sixth round, No. 48 overall, in the 2024 CFL draft. He joined the Argos on Saturday after spending last season with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders.

“I always thought it would be so cool to play for the Argos,” Dankwah told Argonauts.ca. “Pre-draft I took a meeting with coach Sweet (Argos offensive line coach Kris Sweet) and I told him that if I was to come to the CFL I’d want to be in Toronto.

“God is good and I’m here.”

Dankwah and Sweet are together again with Toronto. Sweet was Dankwah’s position coach at Howard University in 2021 but has served as the Argos’ offensive line coach since 2022.

“He was my coach in college and he helped me get really good,” Dankwah said. “I improved my game when he coached me.

“I’m just here to learn and soak up as much as possible.”

Sweet is also thankful for the reunion but said Dankwah has ground to make up.

“It’s going to take him awhile to get adjusted this late into training camp,” Sweet said. “I see a large, large human being.

“For a mammoth man he’s athletic. He’s a smart, conscientious young man and just a good person to be around.”

But Sweet said Dankwah has quickly fit in with the Argos.

“He’s a non-ego guy,” Sweet said. “He’s not a high-maintenance player.

“He’s a guy that’s not easily distracted. He’s been through the (NFL) grinder down there of being cut, brought back, cut, so I think this will be a breath of fresh air for him.”

Dankwah was born in Accra, Ghana, before moving to Brampton. After starting high school there, Dankwah moved to the United States to attend prep school before landing at Howard.

Dankwah’s family — father, mother and three siblings — all still call Brampton home.

While it’s not hard to spot Dankwah at training camp, there’s somewhat less to see of second-year receiver Kevin Mital. The former Laval standout — he captured the Hec Crighton Trophy and Vanier Cup MVP in 2022 — reported to camp at 220 pounds, 14 pounds less than he weighed in Toronto’s 41-24 Grey Cup win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

In that game, the six-foot-one Mital had two catches for 23 yards. But his first CFL touchdown came on a 17-yard, third-quarter grab that saw Mital hurdle over Winnipeg’s Terrell Bonds to score and put Toronto ahead 17-13.

“He’s lost 15 pounds and you can see he’s running (better),” Toronto head coach Ryan Dinwiddie said. “That was our thing with him last year, we had to get him a little bit lighter so he could push vertically down the field and catch those down the field routes.

“Last year he was more of a ball in hand guy, so I think he’s going to have some more tools in his tool box this year.”

Toronto selected Mital in the first round, No. 5 overall, in the 2024 CFL draft. But after suffering injuries both in rookie camp and at the end of training camp, Mital began the season on the six-game injured list and finished with 18 catches for 201 yards.

“I’m far (ahead) from last year,” Mital said. “When you come in as a rookie, you’ve got to learn a whole new system, especially on offence.

“I had the whole off-season to study and look at the playbook from the year before. I come here and I know all the terms, so it’s easier mentally. I just have to be consistent and show that I can play on that field every day.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 21, 2025.