In his second game with Coastal Carolina, against Kansas, Makonzo suffered a torn ACL that made him miss the rest of the 2019 season.[2][5] He appeared in 12 games during the 2020 season, all but one as a starter, and was named third-team all-conference by Phil Steele after posting 76 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, two sacks and two forced fumbles.[6] The following year, Makonzo recorded 71 tackles, 10.0 TFLs and a team-leading three forced fumbles on his way to being named first-team All-Sun Belt by Pro Football Focus (PFF).[6] He was also named to the NCAA All-Canadian Team published by J. C. Abbott.[7] He closed out his college career with a career-high 11 tackles in their Cure Bowl win and finished his stint with the school having totaled 150 tackles, 21.5 TFLs, two sacks and five forced fumbles.[8] Although he had one year of eligibility remaining in 2022, Makonzo decided to try professional football.[9][10]
Professional career
Edmonton Elks
Makonzo was selected with the fourth overall pick of the 2022 CFL Draft by the Edmonton Elks.[11] Playing linebacker as a rookie, he totaled 57 tackles in 16 games (10 of which he started), tied for second on the team.[12][13] He also posted two sacks, five TFLs and a forced fumble.[14]
In 2023, Makonzo played in just five regular season games where he recorded 11 defensive tackles and one forced fumble. He was released shortly after the completion of the 2024 CFL draft on May 1, 2024.[15]
Makonzo's brother, Ethan Makonzo, who played for the Montreal Carabins was selected with the 46th pick in the sixth round of the 2021 CFL Draft by the Montreal Alouettes until his release and also played for a time with the Elks.[3][17]
