Stories

Under-the-Radar Stars: Yannick Ngakoue

Published

December 14, 2017

Credit-Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports/LunaPic

Pass-rushers are a hot commodity around the NFL. Disruptive defensive lines are the backbone of any elite defense. Teams want guys who can pressure the quarterback, plain and simple.

Looking at this year’s sack leaders you’ll see many high-profile names. Then, not far from the top, you’ll stumble upon a name that you don’t recognize. A name you probably can’t even pronounce correctly.

Yannick Ngakoue (pronounced “IN-gah-kway”), the Jacksonville Jaguars’ second-year defensive end is currently tied for the 6^th most sacks in the league. Impressively, he also leads the NFL in forced fumbles (6).

Unlike most of the names on the leaderboard, Ngakoue was not a first-round draft pick. In fact, he wasn’t selected until the third round (69^th overall) in 2016.

Ngakoue left the University of Maryland after his junior year to declare for the NFL Draft. He left on the heels of a season in which he racked up 13.5 sacks, setting a new school record. Despite excelling in the Big Ten, Ngakoue’s draft profile was not very favorable.

After reviewing his game tape, some scouts claimed that “several sacks [were] the result of extended plays or being unblocked“. His name wasn’t projected to be called until the 4^th or 5^th round. His NFL player comparison was to a guy that is currently playing in the Canadian Football League.

Needless to say, scouts did not anticipate this elite level of production from Ngakoue. Especially not this early in his career. Experts said he needed a “more developed skill set” if he wanted to “become a factor in the NFL as a starter”. In year two, he has become much more than just a “factor” for Jacksonville.

Ngakoue is second on the team in sacks, a primary contributor on the best defense in the AFC. Disregarding the popular opinion among scouts, Jacksonville took a chance on him and it is paying off handsomely.

While Yannick Ngakoue may not be getting Pro Bowl attention this season, he’s working his way to becoming a household name. Just make sure you pronounce it right.

For the previous entry of the Under-the-Radar Stars series, click here.

In this article:defense, Jacksonville, Jaguars, NFL, ngakoue, under the radar stars, yannick

Written By Tyler O'Shea

Division III baseball alum (McDaniel College), founder of Joker Mag, and author of The Underdog Mentality: Sports Stories That Will Change How You See the Game (And Yourself). Since launching in November 2017, my stories have been featured on platforms such as FOX Sports, SB Nation, and The Sporting News, reaching over 1.5 million readers worldwide. The seed was planted way back in 7th grade when I got cut from the baseball team. Instead of giving up, I found hope and inspiration in stories of undersized athletes who defied expectations. I ultimately played baseball through college, earning Honorable Mention on the All-Centennial Conference team in my senior season. Today, my mission is simple: To share stories that give people the same feeling I felt when I was that undersized ballplayer searching for hope, inspiration, and evidence that my dream was possible. Like my mom always told me, you can do anything you set your mind to. Sometimes we just need a little extra push. And that’s why I’m so passionate about sharing these stories with the world.