Yannick Ngakoue

At 29 years old, Yannick Ngakoue has this physical status:

Yannick Nicolas Ngakoue (born March 31, 1995) is an American football defensive end for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. (NFL).

He played college football at Maryland.

Early years

In Washington, D.C., Ngakoue attended Friendship Collegiate Academy Public Charter School, where he worked with Eddie Goldman. After receiving 17 sacks as a senior, he was named Gatorade Football Player of the Year for Washington, D.C. Ngakoue was rated as the fourth top outside linebacker in his class by Rivals.com. He committed to the University of Maryland, College Park, to play college football.

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College career

In 2013, as a true freshman at Maryland, Ngakoue played in all 13 games, had three tackles, two sacks, and an interceptor. He played in all 12 games and had 6 sacks as a freshman in 2014. With 13.5 sacks as a junior in 2015, Ngakoue tied for the school record. He revealed that after the season, he'd forego his senior career and join the 2016 NFL Draft.

Professional career

In the 2016 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Ngakoue in the third round (69th overall) in the third round (69th overall). He was the seventh defensive end selected. The Jaguars agreed to a four-year, $3.48 million contract, with a signing bonus of $856,176. Throughout preparation camp, he competed for the starting defensive end position against Dante Fowler, Chris Smith, and Jared Odrick. Gus Bradley, the head coach, selected him as the backup defensive end behind starters Fowler and Odrick to start his rookie season.

During the 27–23 loss, Ngakoue made his NFL debut in the Jaguars' season-opener against the Green Bay Packers, making two combined tackles. In the Jaguars' 38–14 loss to the San Diego Chargers, he made his first NFL appearance against Dante Fowler, causing the first fumble of his career and forcing the Jaguars to start him at right defensive end over Dante Fowler. He had a strip sack on Rivers in the second quarter, his first NFL forced fumble occurred in the second quarter. Jaguar safety Johnathan Cyprien recovered the ball. Following the pass being deflected by defensive end Dante Fowler during a 30–27 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on October 2, Ngakoue made his first NFL interception on quarterback Andrew Luck on Sunday. In a 24–20 loss to the Colts in the season finale on January 1, 2017, he had two solo tackles and made his eighth career sack on Luck.

In 16 games and 15 starts, Ngakoue had 22 combined tackles (19 solo), eight pass deflections, an intercept, and an interception. His eight sacks tied for the Jaguars' rookie record, which was previously held by Tony Brackens, but Josh Allen's record was broken three years later in 2019. Following his rookie season, Ngakoue was selected to the PFWA All-Rookie Team. Gus Bradley, the Jaguars' head coach, was fired after Week 15 and offensive line coach Doug Marrone was fired for Weeks 16-17.

Ngakoue, a newly signed free agent, and Dante Fowler, have both been in training camp to keep his starting defensive end job. Marrone chose to keep defensive coordinator Todd Wash and his base 4–3 defense rather than maintain the Gus Bradley's staff and keep defensive coordinator Todd Wash and his base 4–3 defense. To start the 2017 season, Ngakoue was named the starting left defensive end, opposing Calais Campbell.

Ngakoue got off to a winning start against the Houston Texans in the season's opener, with four tackles, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery following the 29-07 road victory. In the second quarter, his first fumble was on quarterback Tom Savage, who was recovered by teammate Abry Jones, who led the Jaguars up for a touchdown scoring drive. He had another strip-sack on Savage that was recovered and returned by Dante Fowler Jr. for a 53-yard touchdown near the end of the second quarter. He recovered a fumble by quarterback Deshaun Watson that was caused by Fowler near the end of the third quarter. During the Jaguars' 27-0 road routing of the Indianapolis Colts, Ngakoue made four combined tackles and a season-high 2.5 sacks. In a 23–7 victory, he made three combined tackles and 2.5 sacks in a Week 11 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Ngakoue made his 12th sack of the season on quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in the 44-33 road loss during Week 16 against the San Francisco 49ers. As the Jaguars lost on the road by a score of 15–10, he scored his first NFL touchdown on a 67-yard bounce bounce back in the next game against the Tennessee Titans.

The Jaguars finished atop the AFC South with 30 combined tackles (24 solo) and 12 sacks in 16 games and starts last season, with Ngakoue finishing seventh in the AFC South for the 30th time. Calais Campbell (during free agency) and Marcell Dareus (a midseason trade trade deal) were two key players for the Jaguars' defensive line throughout the season. Throughout the season, they adopted the nickname "sacksonville" (Sacksonville). Campbell's 12 sacks ranked eighth in the league, finishing second on the team behind Campbell's 14.5 sacks. He had also had six forced fumbles in the league.

Before the Jaguars lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game by a score of 24-20, Ngakoue scored four tackles, a pass deflection, and a dismissal. On January 22, 2018, he was called to his first Pro Bowl as an injury substitute for teammate Campbell. On the NFL Top 100 Players of 2018. Ngakoue was ranked 88th by his peers.

During week 4 against the New York Jets, Ngakoue suffered his first dismissal of the season on rookie quarterback Sam Darnold, who was drafted with the 31–12 victory. During the 40-7 loss, Ngakoue sacked Dak Prescott twice twice against the Dallas Cowboys twice. During the 24–18 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in week 8, Ngakoue fired Carson Wentz once. During the 20-3 loss, Ngakoue recorded a season-high 5 tackles and fired Deshaun Watson 1.5 times.

With 9.5 sacks, 28 total tackles, 33 quarterback hits, and a pass protected, Ngakoue finished the season. This season, the Jaguars did not recover their overall success from the previous season, finishing with a 5–11 record.

During the 34–27 loss, Ngakoue scored his first two sacks of the season on Kyle Allen in week 5 against the Carolina Panthers. During the 27-17 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, Ngakoue intercepted a pass throw by Andy Dalton and returned it 23 yards for a touchdown. This was Ngakoue's first interception and touchdown in the NFL. During the 29–15 victory over Sam Darnold twice during the following week's match against the New York Jets. In week 11 against the Tennessee Titans, Ngakoue fired Ryan Tannehill on a strip sack and rebuilt the football after the 42-20 loss. During week 15 against the Oakland Brownbacks, Ngakoue fired Derek Carr twice twice, resulting in the 20–16 victory.

With 8 sacks, 41 total tackles, 15 quarterback hits, four tackles forced, four punched kicks, a fumble return, six passes blocked, and an intercepting call for a touchdown, Ngakoue finished the season with eight sacks, four quarterback kicks, four forced fumbles, four intercepted, four quarterback intercepts, and six intercepted. The Jaguars only improved from last season, this time finishing 6-10 for the first time.

On March 2, 2020, Ngakoue announced on Twitter that he wanted to be traded and did not want to play for the Jaguars again.

Despite Ngakoue's request, the Jaguars branded Ngakoue on Ngakoue on March 13, 2020. Because the Jaguars wouldn't trade him, Ngakoue became embroiled in a long Twitter debate with Tony Khan, the team's son, on April 20, 2020. Khan was notably told by Ngakoue during their argument, "Just trade me."

On August 31, 2020, Ngakoue was traded to the Minnesota Vikings for a 2021 second-round pick and a conditional fifth-round pick.

During the 28–11 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2, Ngakoue was fired for his first game as a Viking on the Philip Rivers. During Week 4 against the Houston Texans, Ngakoue fired Deshaun Watson twice, earning a 31–23 victory.

Ngakoue was traded to the Baltimore Ravens in 2021 third-round pick and a 2022 conditional fifth-round pick on October 22, 2020. Calais Campbell, a former Jaguars teammate, was reunited with Ngakoue after the transfer. During the 30-24 overtime loss to the Tennessee Titans, Ngakoue recorded his first dismissal as a Raven on Ryan Tannehill.

In Week 15, Ngakoue's ex teammate Gardner Minshew was fired twice, including a strip sack that was recovered by the Ravens after the 40-14 victory.

Ngakoue's two-year, $26 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders began on March 19, 2021.

In a 33–22 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, Ngakoue had four tackles, two sacks, and two passes defensed, earning AFC Defensive Player of the Week for the Week.

In 2021, Ngakoue will lead the Raiders in sacks, and he will have his first double-digit sack season since 2017.

Since the Raiders signed Chandler Jones, Ngakoue was traded to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for cornerback Rock Ya-Sin on March 16, 2022.

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