Jonathan Kongbo

Jonathan Kongbo (born March 19, 1996) is a defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was drafted by the Blue Bombers in the first round with the fifth overall pick in the 2019 CFL Draft.[1] He played college football for the Arizona Western College Matadors and Tennessee Volunteers.

Jonathan Kongbo
No. 61 – San Francisco 49ers
Position:Defensive end
Personal information
Born: (1996-03-19) March 19, 1996
Kinshasa, Zaire
Height:6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight:256 lb (116 kg)
Career information
High school:Holy Cross
College:Tennessee
CFL draft:2019 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5
Career history
Roster status:Active
CFL status:National
Career highlights and awards
Player stats at CFL.ca

College career

He was a three-sport athlete while attending Holy Cross Regional High School in Surrey, British Columbia, and accepted a scholarship to the University of Wyoming, where he was a redshirt in 2014 and did not play for the team.[2] Kongbo then transferred to Arizona Western College, where he was a junior college All-American in 2015 and a high-profile college prospect.[3] The following season in 2016, he played college football for Tennessee as a sophomore. His junior year was his best year, with ten games played and 29 total tackles.[4] In 2018, his senior year, he moved into the linebacker role; after six games, he tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) at The University of Tennessee against Auburn and did not play for the rest of the season.[3]

Professional career

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL)

Upon entering the CFL Draft, Kongbo was at one point ranked the number-one prospect by the Central CFL Scouting Bureau and was eventually drafted fifth overall in the 2019 CFL Draft by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.[2][5] He was signed by the Blue Bombers on May 17, 2019 and placed on their six-game injured list, hoping to play before the end of summer.[5][1] He played in his first career professional game on August 1, 2019 against the Toronto Argonauts.[6] In his first season, Kongbo played in 12 games, recording 12 tackles and a sack. He played in all three of the Blue Bombers' post-season games, including the 107th Grey Cup game where he won his first Grey Cup championship. Kongbo was released on December 5, 2019 as part of a pre-determined agreement to pursue National Football League opportunities.[7]

San Francisco 49ers

On January 1, 2020, Kongbo signed a reserve/future contract with the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL.[8]

Personal life

Kongbo was born in Zaire (now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo) to parents Joachim and Lily and has one brother, Joel.[9][10][11] He moved to Canada when he was five years old.[10][11][12]

References
  1. "Bombers sign fifth overall draft selection Kongbo". cfl.ca. May 17, 2019.
  2. Dunk, Justin (October 22, 2018). "Top ranked CFL Draft prospect, DL Jonathan Kongbo suffers season-ending knee injury". 3downnation.com. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  3. Boclair, David (May 6, 2019). "Kongbo willing to give it a go in Canada". Nashville Post. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  4. Williford, Billy (May 2019). "NFL Draft: 5 best landing spots for former Vol Jonathan Kongbo". All For Tennessee. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  5. Lay, Ken (June 29, 2019). "VFL Jonathan Kongbo on Winnipeg's injury list". USA Today/Vols Wire. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  6. Wiebe, Ken (August 2, 2019). "Bombers blow 20-point lead against winless Argonauts". Winnipeg Sun. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  7. "Bombers release DL Jonathan Kongbo to pursue NFL opportunity". Canadian Football League. December 5, 2019. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  8. "Jonathan Kongbo announces signing with San Francisco 49ers". 247 Sports. December 31, 2019.
  9. Wiebe, Ken (July 30, 2019). "Bombshells: Kongbo set for CFL debut … LaPolice not concerned about Blue Bombers offence … Gaitor, Wolitarsky are in". winnipegsun.com. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  10. Beamish, Mike (February 3, 2016). "Surrey's unintentional football star Jonathan Kongbo back on course for Tennessee". theprovince.com. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  11. "Jonathan Kongbo Biography". Wyoming Cowboys Athletics. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  12. Tait, Ed (July 30, 2019). "Kongo healthy, ready to step in". Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
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