From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Louisville DL Rene Konga.
No. 90 Rene Konga/DL Louisville 6036, 298 pounds (Sixth-year Senior)
Measurements
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Rene Konga 6030/298 9 1/2″ 33 5/8″ N/A
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
4.79 1.60 4.59 7.03
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
10’2″ 37″ 20
The Good
– Prototypical frame for an interior defensive lineman
– Explosive first step that can beat offensive linemen out of his stance
– Good horizontal explosion
– Instantaneously crosses the face of the offensive guard
– Excellent closing speed on stunts and chasing down plays to the perimeter
– Fluid ankle flexion and hip mobility
– Functional strength
– Collapses the gap on short-yardage situations
– Powerful, highly active hands
– Utilizes his length to lock out offensive linemen
– Good at recognizing a developing screen
– Good speed-to-power conversion with his bull rush
– Capable of countering when his initial rush attempt stalls
– Plays with a physical, violent temperament against the run
– Able to flow down the line of scrimmage
– Excels at getting his hands in passing lanes
The Bad
– Plays with a high pad level due to popping upright out of his stance
– Vulnerable to linemen winning the leverage battle inside his chest plate
– Underdeveloped secondary pass rush moves
– Struggles to disengage if his inside counter is cut off
– Inconsistent when anchoring double teams primarily due to varying results with his pad level
– Struggles when tasked with two-gapping responsibilities
– Concerning injury history, which limited his snaps despite being in his sixth season
Stats
– 2025 stats: 29 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 26 pressures, 6 pass deflections, 12 games played
– Career stats: 63 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 69 pressures, 8 pass deflections, 1 forced fumble, 44 games played
– Louisville Career stats: 49 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 50 pressures, 6 pass deflections, 23 games played
– Rutgers Career stats: 14 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 19 pressures, 2 pass deflections, 1 forced fumble, 21 games played
– 9.4 missed tackle percentage (2025)
– 86.4 PFF grade ranked second among Power Four interior defenders (2025)
– 85.2 PFF pass rush grade, which ranked third nationally at his position (2025)
– 14.7 pass rush win percentage, which ranked fourth nationally at his position (2025)
– 26.1 pass rush win percentage on true pass sets, which ranked third at his position (2025)
Injury History
– Dealt with an undisclosed injury that held him to only two games played as a redshirt freshman (2021)
– Underwent a procedure for a lower-body injury suffered against Michigan State (2022)
– Suffered an injury against Wagner that forced him to miss the following week (2023)
– Listed as “questionable” on the injury report before the Pitt game but played through it (2025)
Background
– Transferred to Louisville after spending his first four seasons with Rutgers
– Three-star recruit and top recruit from Canada out of Colonel By Secondary School in Ottawa
– Reclassified to the 2020 recruiting class to enroll early at Rutgers
– Played defensive end, running back, and tight end, where he earned League Defensive MVP and Team MVP
– Recognized as the Senior Male Athlete of the Year at his school
– Scored 16 touchdowns on offense as a senior
– Three-sport athlete who played varsity basketball and volleyball
– Named Team MVP for Basketball
– Second Team All-ACC (2025)
– Two-time Academic All-Big Ten (2021, 2022)
– His personal motto is “Je pense, donc je suis” (“I think, therefore I am”)
– He’s bilingual as he’s fluent in French as well
– Earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from Rutgers before transferring to Louisville
– Opted out of his final college game against Toledo
Tape Breakdown
Analytics aside, Konga’s production isn’t impressive, which helps justify why the league didn’t invite him to the Scouting Combine. But his Pro Day told a different story: his testing numbers would have turned heads in Indianapolis and ranked at or near the top in every event. He’s not just a “shorts and T-shirt” athlete, either—the explosiveness shows up on tape.
He builds his game around his first step and lower-body explosion. As his vertical and broad jump numbers suggest, he can uncoil out of his stance with a violent forward lean. He gets off the ball immediately, putting interior linemen on their heels and forcing them into a reactive position. By dictating the terms of engagement, Konga makes guards overcompensate for his speed, preventing them from getting balanced in their set.
Konga’s best ability is his pass-rush. Despite being fundamentally raw due to limited playing time, he still made a high-level impact. His best work comes in a four-down, vertical attacking scheme that asks him to get upfield and disrupt the pocket.
Right now, he leans heavily on power and acceleration. His bull rush is his most effective, driven by his ability to convert speed to power. When he combines that burst with his length, Konga consistently overwhelmed offensive linemen, walking them back into the quarterback’s lap.
When his bull rush stalls out, he has enough lateral quickness to counter inside against oversetting guards. Because opponents are primed for his speed upfield, he regularly creates opportunities to cross the blocker’s face and win inside.
Although he struggles more against the run, his effort is there. He plays tenaciously, consistently punishing his opponent. His strong hand placement allows him to set a firm edge when aligned outside and to maintain interior gap integrity.
Konga’s lower-body explosion creates a sturdy anchor capable of withstanding double teams, though his consistency leaves something to be desired. His issue primarily stems from rising out of his stance, making him an easier target for opponents to win the leverage battle.
His inability to function as a stationary space-eater may limit his NFL playing time. He’s more than capable of flowing down the line of scrimmage when pursuing outside runs and perimeter sweeps. However, his ability to consistently hold the point of attack will falter due to those leverage concerns. Konga fits best in a scheme that emphasizes single-gap responsibility over two-gap control.
Conclusion
Overall, Konga is a fun player who seemed to explode up draft boards out of nowhere. His athleticism jumps off the tape, both in shorts and pads, and it should translate to the next level. However, early collegiate injuries delayed his progression, and he is still fine-tuning his game.
Beyond his athleticism, his best attribute is his pass rush. The explosive burst out of his stance immediately puts him ahead of his opponent and allows him to attack however he wants. He will need to expand his arsenal, but his athletic profile and measurables should give him every opportunity to do so.
A fitting parallel for Konga is David Onyemata. Both are physical freaks on the interior who share similar size and length. However, like Onyemata, Konga must prove that his physical dominance isn’t a mirage. He has the raw measurables to be an impact player on the interior in a scheme that favors him attacking vertically upfield.
NFL Draft Projection: Late Day Three – UDFA
Steelers Depot Draft Grade: 7.1 (Spot Starter)
Grade Range: 6.3 – 7.8
Games Watched: vs. Georgia Tech (2024), @ Washington (2024), vs. James Madison (2025), @ Pittsburgh (2025), vs. Boston College (2025), vs. Clemson (2025)
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