Maema Njongmeta

Maema Njongmeta
No. 45 – Cincinnati Bengals
Position:Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (2001-03-09) March 9, 2001 (age 23)
Yaounde, Cameroon
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
High school:Stevenson (Lincolnshire, Illinois)
College:Wisconsin (2019–2023)
Undrafted:2024
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Maema Njongmeta (born March 9, 2001) is a Cameroonian-American professional football linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers.

Early life

Njongmeta was born in Cameroon, and moved to the United States in 2004.[1]

Njongmeta's hometown is Buffalo Grove, Illinois and attended Stevenson High School. In his high school career he notched 196 tackles with 34 going for a loss, 19 sacks, three fumble recoveries, and two forced fumbles.[2] He committed to play college football at the University of Wisconsin over other schools such as Iowa State, Navy, and Tulane.[3][4]

College career

In Njongmeta's first two seasons in 2019 and 2020, he redshirted and only appeared in one game in which he recorded no statistics.[5] In the 2021 season, Njongmeta totalled four tackles in two games.[6] In week three of the 2022 season, Njongmeta tallied his first career interception, as he helped the Badgers rout New Mexico State 66–7.[7] In week eleven Njongmeta recorded a sack to help end a drive, but Wisconsin ended up losing to Iowa 24–10.[8] In week twelve, Njongmeta notched 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack, as helped the Badgers become bowl eligible by beating Nebraska 15–14.[9] In the Badgers season finale, Njongmeta had a career performance, tallying 12 tackles with 2.5 going for a loss, and 0.5 sack, but Wisconsin fell to Minnesota 23–16.[10] Njongmeta finished his breakout 2022 season with 95 tackles with 11.5 being for a loss, 3.5 sacks, a pass deflection, and an interception.[11] For his performance on the season, Njongmeta was named third team all-Big Ten by the media.[12][13] Ahead of the 2023 season, Njongmeta was named to the watch list for multiple awards: the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Rotary Lombardi Award, the Bednarik Award, and the Butkus Award.[14][15][16][17]

College statistics

Season Team Games Tackles Int & Fum
GP GS Solo Ast Cmb TfL Yds Sck Int PD FF FR
2019 Wisconsin 0 0 Redshirted
2020 Wisconsin 1 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0
2021 Wisconsin 6 0 2 2 4 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0
2022 Wisconsin 13 11 48 47 95 11.5 40 3.5 1 1 0 0
2023 Wisconsin 13 10 30 29 59 8.5 16 3.0 0 1 0 3
Career 33 21 80 78 158 20.0 56 6.5 1 2 0 3

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
5 ft 11+3⁄4 in
(1.82 m) 		229 lb
(104 kg) 		32+1⁄8 in
(0.82 m) 		9+3⁄8 in
(0.24 m)		 4.80 s 1.68 s 2.75 s 4.61 s 7.32 s 34.5 in
(0.88 m)		 9 ft 8 in
(2.95 m)		 15 reps
All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[18][19][20]

Njongmeta signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent on May 10, 2024.[21] Njongmeta was among the 53 players to make the Bengals' Week 1 roster.

References

  1. ^ Bartholomew, Colten (April 19, 2024). "The greater meaning behind Wisconsin football's most interesting name". BadgerExtra. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  2. ^ "Maema Njongmeta's Football Stats". MaxPreps.com. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  3. ^ Flood, Evan. "Njongmeta Commits to Wisconsin". 247Sports. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  4. ^ Pope, LaMond. "On Wisconsin: Stevenson linebacker Maema Njongmeta verbally commits to play for the Badgers". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  5. ^ "Maema Njongmeta". Wisconsin Badgers University Athletics. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  6. ^ "Maema Njongmeta 2021 Game Logs". Sports Reference. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  7. ^ Madsen, Tamira. "Allen's 3 TDs spark Wisconsin in 66-7 rout of New Mexico St". AP News. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  8. ^ Belz, Mtt. "Wisconsin falls to Iowa 24-10 in a mistake-filled loss". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  9. ^ Belz, Matt. "Wisconsin is going bowling after a 15-14 comeback win at Nebraska". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  10. ^ Belz, Matt. "Game recap: Wisconsin loses at home to Minnesota 23-16". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  11. ^ "Maema Njongmeta 2022 Game Logs". Sports Reference. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  12. ^ Viviani, Nick. "Badgers' Herbig named to All-Big Ten first team". NBC15. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  13. ^ "Badgers LB Herbig named consensus first-team All-Big Ten". Bally Sports. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  14. ^ Hanley, Zach. "Mordecai, Allen named to Maxwell award watch list". Fox47. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  15. ^ Olinger, Daniel. "Indiana's Aaron Casey Named to Butkus Award Preseason Watch List". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  16. ^ Olinger, Daniel. "Indiana's Andre Carter Named to Bednarik Award Preseason Watch List". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  17. ^ Low, Asher. "Wisconsin LB Maema Njongmeta named to another watch list". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  18. ^ "Maema Njongmeta Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  19. ^ "2024 NFL Draft Scout Maema Njongmeta College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  20. ^ "How every Badger performed at the 2024 Wisconsin football pro day". BadgersWire.USAToday.com. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  21. ^ "Bengals Sign 14 College Free Agents". Bengals.com. May 10, 2024.