Rene Konga

Rene (ruh-NAY) Konga (KONG-uh) is originally from Cameroon. When he was a kid, his family relocated to the Ottawa area, which is where he developed a love for basketball. He was introduced to football at age 13 and originally played defensive back and running back. He attended Colonel By Secondary School, where he played running back, defensive end and kicker. As a senior, he accounted for 21 offensive touchdowns (15 rushing, four receiving, two passing) and was the league’s defensive MVP in 2019. A three-star recruit, he signed with Rutgers (over Syracuse) and reclassified, enrolling at 17. He found himself buried on the depth chart over four years in the program and struggled to make an impact. For his final two seasons, he transferred to Louisville, where he became a starter and an All-ACC performer (44.3 defensive snaps per game in 2025). Konga’s college career was a slow burn, but his fresh start at Louisville felt like an awakening for him (NFL scout: “Quiet kid. … Some guys just need time to mature their habits and realize their abilities.”). He has a compact build and carries his weight well with long, thick arms. He tends to pop upright, which leaves him stuck on contact, but he can get blockers moving using his athletic feet and strong swats. His closing speed is only average, which can hurt his sack production. He is physical in the run game and has adequate anchor to hold his ground. Effort plays are all over his tape, and he did a nice job finding passing lanes (six batted passes in 2025). Overall, Konga put disruptive flashes on tape, with short-area quickness and violent hands to impact both phases. He is the type of ascending prospect worth bringing to your building. 425 Back to table of contents -- 429 of 629 --