Canadian defender Jonathan Kongbo is the ultimate wild card at the 2019 CFL draft.
The Calgary Stampeders, who hold the eighth and final pick of the first round, recently brought Kongbo in for a visit, which is rare for the franchise – president and general manager John Hufnagel doesn’t just fly in prospects for the fun of it. The most important part of the trip: the Stamps doctors checking his surgically repaired knee.
Every single team has a first-round grade on Kongbo, but a torn ACL suffered in October during his season season at the University of Tennessee creates uncertainty.
Kongbo, surprisingly, went unselected in the 2019 NFL draft and didn’t even signed an undrafted free agent contract or accept a rookie mini-camp invite. Most Canadian franchises expected Kongbo to be in the NFL. That’s not the case, drafts are difficult to predict.
After gaining a reputation as the No. 1 junior college defensive line prospect while in Arizona, Kongbo received scholarships offers from Alabama, Oregon, Oklahoma, USC, Florida State, Washington, Ole Miss and Tennessee. The six-foot-six, 264-pounder chose the Volunteers.
Kongbo played 30 games – 17 starts – over three seasons with the Volunteers in the SEC (Southeastern conference) as a linebacker and defensive lineman amassing 51 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions including a 50-yarder returned for a touchdown and two knockdowns. He won the 2018 John Stucky award as Tennessee’s best performer in the weight room.
Throughout his collegiate career, Kongo lined up a defensive end, defensive tackle and linebacker spots, versatility that would be highly coveted in the CFL. There will be a team who chooses Kongbo with a first round selection.
