Position: Defensive Tackle
School: Oregon
Status: Junior
Height: 6-5
Weight: 335
40-Yard Dash: 4.85 (EST)
Positives:
Haloti Ngata is a veritable mountain of a man in the middle of the defensive line, and has the strength to throw around guards when he's getting into the backfield. He also has great burst and agility to get through the line when brute force isn't enough.
Ngata's coaches also call him among the most intelligent athletes they've ever seen, and he uses that intelligence to his full advantage, showing an ability to read play-action passes or where runs are going better than nearly anyone at his level of development, and better than many NFL linemen. Ngata also will refuse to give up on plays and doesn't take any off. He also has a rare ability among defensive linemen that he doesn't lose much from his play if he's on the field and hurting.
Negatives:
The only real negative about Ngata is that he tore an ACL in his sophomore year, which is always a concern for someone his age. However, he came back claiming that his damaged knee was stronger post-rehab than his healthy knee was, and no proof to the contrary has come out through his play.
Overview:
Haloti Ngata has been described as a quiet, but good-natured football player, which is never a bad thing to see. With his size and the tools he has, he will be a valuable pickup for any NFL franchise looking for a high-flight DT to add to their roster. Barring future complications from his previous knee surgery, he should be an NFL star for years to come.