{{Short description|Cameroonian-Canadian football player (born 2002)}} {{Infobox gridiron football biography | name = Rene Konga | image = | alt = | caption = | team = Miami Dolphins | number = 95 | position = Defensive tackle | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|11|14}} | birth_place = Ottawa, Ontario | death_date = | death_place = | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 4 | weight_lb = 298 | high_school = Colonel By Secondary School<br>(Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) | college = Rutgers (2020–2023)<br>Louisville (2024–2025) | undraftedyear = 2026 | cfldraftyear = 2026 | cfldraftround = 6 | cfldraftpick = 48 | pastteams = * Miami Dolphins ({{nfly|2026}}–present) | status = Active | highlights = * Second-team All-ACC (2025) | statseason = | statweek = | statlabel1 = | statvalue1 = | statlabel2 = | statvalue2 = | pfr = }} '''Rene Konga''' (born November 14, 2002) is a Cameroonian-Canadian professional American football defensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and Louisville Cardinals.
==Early life== Konga was born on November 14, 2002, in Cameroon, before moving to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, when he was young.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |last=Brugler|first=Dane|date=April 8, 2026|title=The Beast: 2026 NFL Draft Guide|url=https://static01.nyt.com/athletic/uploads/wp/2026/04/08094520/the-beast-2026-2.pdf|url-access=subscription|website=The Athletic|page=429}}</ref> He initially played basketball before starting to play football at age 13.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/rutgers/article/rene-konga-writing-a-canadian-success-story-at-rutgers-216524127/|publisher=247Sports|title=Rene Konga writing a Canadian success story at Rutgers|author=Deren, Bobby|date=September 20, 2023}}</ref> Konga played football at Colonel By Secondary School, earning league defensive MVP honors in 2019 while accounting for 21 offensive touchdowns. In high school, he was used at running back, defensive end, and placekicker.<ref name="auto"/> Konga initially planned to attend Clearwater Academy International in Florida in 2020, but instead reclassified to the class of 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/rutgers/2020/07/this-is-what-you-need-to-know-about-rutgers-newest-dl-addition-rene-konga.html|website=NJ.com|title=Rutgers shrewdly adds explosive Canadian DL Rene Konga to 2020 class {{!}} Scouting report, analysis|author=Hunt, Todderick|date=July 15, 2020}}</ref> A three-star prospect, he committed to play college football for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.on3.com/news/rutgers-transfer-dl-rene-konga-commits-to-louisville/|website=On3.com|title=Rutgers transfer DL Rene Konga commits to Louisville|date=April 27, 2026|author=Samra, Steve}}</ref>
==College career== Konga redshirted as a true freshman at Rutgers in 2020, then posted one tackle in two games in 2021, followed by five tackles, a tackle-for-loss (TFL), a sack and two passes defended in nine games in 2022.<ref name="auto"/> He totaled eight tackles, two TFLs and a sack in 2023 before entering the NCAA transfer portal.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/2024/04/rutgers-football-to-lose-key-dl-depth-with-1st-transfer-of-spring-portal-window.html|website=NJ.com|title=Rutgers to lose key DL depth with 1st transfer of spring portal window|author=Fonseca, Brian|date=April 15, 2024}}</ref> Konga transferred to the Louisville Cardinals for the 2024 season.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article315470324.html|newspaper=Kansas City Star|title=Louisville draft prospect describes what a Chiefs top-30 draft visit is like |date=April 20, 2026|author=Sweeney, Pete}}</ref> He posted 20 tackles, three TFLs and two sacks while starting six games in 2024. In his last year, 2025, Konga started all 12 games he appeared in and tallied 29 tackles, five TFLs, 1.5 sacks and six passes defended, earning second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) honors.<ref name="auto"/> In his college career, he posted 63 tackles, eight passes defended and six sacks while appearing in 44 games.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://dolphinswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/dolphins/2026/04/16/2026-nfl-draft-dolphins-intrigued-by-freakishly-athletic-prospect-rene-konga/89639448007/|newspaper=USA Today|title=Dolphins intrigued by freakishly athletic prospect in 2026 NFL draft|author=Masala, Mike|date=April 16, 2026}}</ref> Konga participated in The American Bowl and the 2026 Senior Bowl.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://3downnation.com/2026/04/10/canadian-rene-konga-lands-second-nfl-top-30-visit-with-miami-dolphins-as-draft-stock-rises/|website=3DownNation.com|date=April 10, 2026|title=Canadian Rene Konga lands second NFL top 30 visit with Miami Dolphins as draft stock rises}}</ref>
==Professional career== {{NFL predraft | height ft = 6 | height in = 3 3/4 | weight = 298 | dash = 4.82 | ten split = 1.60 | twenty split = 2.80 | shuttle = 4.59 | cone drill = 7.03 | vertical = 37.0 | broad ft = 10 | broad in = 2 | bench = 20 | arm span = 33 5/8 | hand span = 9 1/2 | wingspan ft = 6 | wingspan in = 9 | note = All values from Pro Day<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1059780&DraftYear=2026 |title=Rene Konga College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=April 26, 2026}}</ref> }}
In addition to being an NFL draft prospect, Konga was ranked as the third-best prospect eligible for the 2026 CFL draft.<ref name="AprRank">{{cite web |date=April 21, 2026 |title=Mesidor retains No. 1 spot in spring edition of CFL Scouting Bureau |url=https://www.cfl.ca/2026/04/21/mesidor-retains-no-1-spot-in-spring-edition-of-cfl-scouting-bureau/ |access-date=May 31, 2026 |publisher=Canadian Football League}}</ref> Konga was drafted in the sixth round (48th overall) in the 2026 CFL draft by the Ottawa Redblacks. Konga went undrafted in the 2026 NFL draft and signed a free agent deal with the Miami Dolphins the following day.<ref>{{cite news |date=April 25, 2026 |title=Reports: Four Canadians sign NFL deals after draft |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nfl/article/report-dolphins-sign-canadian-dt-rene-konga/ |access-date=May 31, 2026 |publisher=Sportsnet}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=May 8, 2026 |title=Dolphins sign 11 undrafted college free agents |url=https://www.miamidolphins.com/news/dolphins-sign-11-undrafted-college-free-agents |access-date=May 31, 2026 |website=MiamiDolphins.com}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.miamidolphins.com/team/players-roster/rene-konga/ Miami Dolphins bio] *[https://scarletknights.com/sports/football/roster/rene-konga/12782 Rutgers Scarlet Knights bio] *[https://gocards.com/sports/football/roster/rene-konga/15881 Louisville Cardinals bio]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Konga, Rene}} Category:2002 births Category:Living people Category:Cameroonian emigrants to Canada Category:Cameroonian players of American football Category:Players of American football from Ontario Category:Sportspeople from Ottawa Category:American football defensive tackles Category:Rutgers Scarlet Knights football players Category:Louisville Cardinals football players Category:Miami Dolphins players