In Play Magazine
Ndamukong Suh
Defensive Tackle
Height:6-4
Weight:307
Age:23
College:Nebraska
Hometown:Portland, Ore.
Experience:R
TRANSACTIONS
•Selected by the Detroit Lions in the first round (2nd overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft.
COLLEGE
Started 39 of 53 games during his five-year career at Nebraska, recording 215 tackles (125 solos) with 24.0 quarterback sacks for minus 187 yards, 57.0 stops for losses of 252 yards and 39 pressures. Caused three fumbles and recovered another, intercepted four passes for 79 yards in returns that included two touchdowns and also recorded 15 pass defenses. Also added a two-yard touchdown pass and blocked six kicks. His 57 tackles behind the line of scrimmage rank second in school history behind Grant Wistrom (58.5, 1994-97). Those 57 stops for loss lead all active NCAA defensive tackles and rank second overall to defensive end George Selvie of South Florida (69, 2006-09).
•Suh’s 24.0 stops behind the line of scrimmage in 2009 rank second on the school season-record list behind Jim Skow’s 25.0 in 1985.
•His seven tackles for loss (five solo/two assisted) vs. Texas in the 2009 Big Twelve Championship Game tied the Nebraska game-record that was first set by Jim Skow vs. Missouri in 1985.
•Ranks fourth in school history with 24.0 quarterback sacks, surpassed only by Trev Alberts (29.5, 1990-93), Wistrom (26.5, 1994-97) and Skow (26.0, 1983-85).
•Suh’s 12.0 sacks in 2009 were the second-most ever by a Husker defensive tackle, topped by Skow’s 15.0 in 1985.
•His 10 pass defenses in 2009 set the school season-record for a defensive lineman and his 15 total pass break-ups are another Husker defensive lineman career-record.
•Holds the school game (two vs. Iowa State in 2009), season (three in 2009) and career (six) records for most kicks blocked by a down lineman.
•Set the school season-record for a defensive tackle with two interceptions in 2008 and the Husker down lineman record by returning both for touchdowns.
Biography
•Selected by the Detroit Lions in the first round (2nd overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft.COLLEGE: Started 39 of 53 games during his five-year career at Nebraska, recording 215 tackles (125 solos) with 24.0 quarterback sacks for minus 187 yards, 57.0 stops for losses of 252 yards and 39 pressures. Caused three fumbles and recovered another, intercepted four passes for 79 yards in returns that included two touchdowns and also recorded 15 pass defenses. Also added a two-yard touchdown pass and blocked six kicks. His 57 tackles behind the line of scrimmage rank second in school history behind Grant Wistrom (58.5, 1994-97). Those 57 stops for loss lead all active NCAA defensive tackles and rank second overall to defensive end George Selvie of South Florida (69, 2006-09).
•Suh’s 24.0 stops behind the line of scrimmage in 2009 rank second on the school season-record list behind Jim Skow’s 25.0 in 1985.•His seven tackles for loss (five solo/two assisted) vs. Texas in the 2009 Big Twelve Championship Game tied the Nebraska game-record that was first set by Jim Skow vs. Missouri in 1985.•Ranks fourth in school history with 24.0 quarterback sacks, surpassed only by Trev Alberts (29.5, 1990-93), Wistrom (26.5, 1994-97) and Skow (26.0, 1983-85).•Suh’s 12.0 sacks in 2009 were the second-most ever by a Husker defensive tackle, topped by Skow’s 15.0 in 1985.•His 10 pass defenses in 2009 set the school season-record for a defensive lineman and his 15 total pass break-ups are another Husker defensive lineman career-record.•Holds the school game (two vs. Iowa State in 2009), season (three in 2009) and career (six) records for most kicks blocked by a down lineman.•Set the school season-record for a defensive tackle with two interceptions in 2008 and the Husker down lineman record by returning both for touchdowns.
2009
Unanimous All-American and All-Big Twelve Conference first-team selection. Named the Associated Press College Player of the Year, CBSSports.com National Defensive Player of the Year, Big Twelve Conference Defensive Player of the Year/Defensive Lineman of the Year and was a finalist for the Walter Camp National Player of the Year Award. Was one of five finalists for the Heisman Trophy and the first defensive lineman to be named a finalist for that trophy since Warren Sapp in 1994. 2009 Rotary Lombardi Award, Outland Trophy, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Bill Willis Award and Guy Chamberlin Award winner. Lott Trophy finalist (one of four), earning Lott Trophy Impact Player of the Week vs. Missouri and Iowa State. Nebraska Team MVP. Member of the Big Twelve Commissioner’s Spring Academic Honor Roll and garnered Academic All-Big Twelve second-team recognition. Set numerous position, game, season and career records, as he became the first Husker defensive lineman to lead the team in tackles in consecutive seasons.
•Recorded a career-best 85 tackles (52 solos), as he also led the team with 12.0 sacks for minus 77 yards, 24.0 stops for losses of 93 yards and 26 pressures. Second on the team with 10 pass defenses, a season-record for down lineman.
•Set the Husker position record with two blocked kicks vs. Iowa State and with a total of three blocked kicks for the season. Also intercepted a pass, as his total of 11 passes defended were the most by any college down lineman for the season (no other defensive lineman ranked in the top 100 in the FBS.
•Against the run, Suh made 94 plays, holding the ball carriers to 20 yards, as he stopped runners at the line of scrimmage 20 times for no gain, in addition to his 24 tackles in the backfield, delivering 10 of those hits inside the red zone (three on goalline snaps).
•Allowed just four first downs and killed 13 scoring drives with 12 third-down tackles and one fourth-down tackle.
2008
All-American second-team selection by The NFL Draft Report. Consensus All-Big Twelve Conference first-team choice. Named the team’s co-Lifter of the Year and Defensive Most Valuable Player. Started all 13 games at nose tackle, becoming the first defensive tackle since 1973 to lead the team in tackles, as he totaled 76 hits (39 solos). Ranked eighth in the conference and led the team with 7.5 sacks for minus 67 yards and also paced the Huskers with 19.0 stops for losses totaling 85 yards.
•Nebraska’s leader with 7.0 sacks.
•Caused a fumble and deflected three passes.
•Set school records for a defensive lineman with two interceptions, returning both for touchdowns totaling 79 yards.
•Blocked two kicks.
2007
Started 11 games at nose tackle. Made all six of his stops behind the line of scrimmage in an early four-game stretch. Recorded 34 tackles (22 solos), included a 6-yard sack, four pressures, two pass deflections and a blocked kick.
2006
Played in all 14 games as a backup at nose tackle and earned a start vs. Oklahoma. Named Freshman All-Big Twelve Conference by The Sporting News. Finished the year with 19 tackles (12 solos), 3.5 sacks for minus 37 yards, eight stops for losses of 45 yards and two pressures. Also caused one fumble and intercepted a pass. Saw time on special teams as a blocker on the place-kicking unit.
2005
One of a school-record 13 true freshmen to see action in 2005. Played in the first two games and had an assisted tackle vs. Wake Forest before missing the remainder of the season with a knee injury, receiving a medical red-shirt.
HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL
Attended Grant (Portland, Ore.) High School, playing football for head coach William Griffin. The two-way star earned Parade All-American honors and was voted the 2004 Portland Interscholastic League Defensive Player of the Year and the state Class 4A Defensive Player of the Year.
•As a senior, he recorded 65 tackles, including 10.0 sacks and recovered four fumbles. Also starred on the offensive line, helping the Generals to a 9-3 record and a berth in the state quarterfinals.
•Earned first-team All-League honors on both offense and defense, and in addition to his defensive accolades was a first-team All-State pick on offense by at least one media outlet.
•First-team All-Portland Interscholastic League pick on both offense and defense as a junior and was an honorable-mention All-State pick as a junior.
•Listed as the top prospect in the state of Oregon by Rivals.com and among the top ten defensive tackle prospects in the country.
•Played in the U.S. Army All-American Game, where he lined up on the offensive line. Also played basketball and was a track standout for Grant High, earning honorable-mention All-League honors in basket-ball as a junior and senior.
•In track Suh was the district shot put champion in 2004, and won the OSAA Class 4A shot put title in 2005 with a school record throw of 61-4. Thanks to his all-around athletic accomplishments, he was a finalist for the Portland Tribune’s Athlete of the Year.
•Graduated in December, 2009 with a degree in Construction Management.
•Named to the 2009 Big Twelve Conference.
•Commissioner’s Spring Academic Honor Roll.
•Volunteered with Nebraska’s local hospital visits and also recently.
•Volunteered his time as a speaker at Pound Middle School.
•Suh’s mother, Bernadette, is from Jamaica, while his father, Michael, hails from Cameroon. In the Ngema tribe in Cameroon, Ndamukong means “House of Spears.”
•Born January 6, 1987 and resides in Portland, Oregon.
