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SCOUT'S TAKE

Pros: Suh is a great athlete for his size, and has a rare combination of strength, power, and speed. Has a very good football IQ, and plays the run and pass equally well. He can be a dominant run stopper even when double teamed because of his great quickness and ability to penetrate.

Cons: Because Suh is such a great athlete sometimes he gets too high with his pad level and can miss a tackle or two. He needs to improve his technique, because in the NFL he will be playing against the best offensive linemen in the world—athleticism alone won’t cut it.

Skinny: : Suh is a dominant force on the defensive line. He is extremely athletic and knows how to control the line of scrimmage. He recorded 76 tackles, 19 for loss, 7.5 sacks, one forced fumble, three pass breakups, and two interceptions in 2008. He has amassed an incredible 33 tackles for loss over the past three seasons. In 2007 he totaled 34 tackles, six for loss, one sack, one fumble recovery, and two pass breakups. He didn’t start a single game in the 2006 season, but still managed 19 tackles, eight for loss, 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and one interception. He currently holds three Nebraska records: most interceptions in a season by a defensive tackle (2), most interceptions returned for touchdowns by a defensive tackle (2), and most career interceptions by a defensive tackle (3). He will likely solidify himself as not only one of the top defensive linemen in the Big 12 in 2009, but as one of the best in the nation.

NEWS

03.02.10 - According to NFL.com, Suh had an impressive vertical jump of 35 1/2 inches -- the highest by a DT at the combine since 2000. He followed that with a time of 4.98 seconds in the 40-yard dash. McCoy ran the 40 in 4.96 seconds, but dropped to 5.14 in his second attempt. – Detroit Free Press

02.17.10 - Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, expected by many to be the first overall player selected in this year's NFL draft, will participate in all of the workouts at the NFL combine in Indianapolis, which begins next week. Players regarded as the consensus No. 1 pick in the draft often bypass some of the on-field workouts at the combine. "He's in the best shape of his life and he wants to (demonstrate) that to people," said agent Roosevelt Barnes, who along with Eugene Parker, his partner at Maximum Sports, will represent Suh in contract negotiations. "There's no reason [not to work out]." – ESPN

02.05.10 - The 6-foot-4, 300-pounder said Friday that he hasn’t changed his stance on doing every run, lift and drill at the NFL Combine, which starts Feb. 24 in Indianapolis. It’s not unusual for high-ranked prospects to pick and choose what they do, figuring the risk is bigger than the reward. Suh said he is “training for every last bit of it” rather than zeroing in on one facet. That has made for the busy days at the Michael Johnson Performance Center, opened in 2007 by the five-time Olympic gold medal sprinter. Suh generally is in the 4.2- or 4.3-second range. – The Grand Island Independent

12.22.09 - Ndamukong Suh keeps hauling in honors. The Nebraska senior defensive tackle has been named The Associated Press national player of the year, the wire service announced Tuesday. Suh is the first defensive player to win the honor since its inception in 1998. In addition, he becomes the first non-Heisman Trophy winner to be honored with the AP award since Iowa quarterback Brad Banks in 2002. Suh is Nebraska’s second winner of the AP national player of the year award, joining quarterback Eric Crouch, who captured the award and the Heisman in 2001. Suh received 26 of a possible 59 first-place votes from the AP panel, edging Stanford running back Toby Gerhart, who received 20 votes. – Lincoln Journal Star

12.21.09 - Suh won the Outland Trophy, the Lombardi Award, the Bronko Nagurski Award and the Chuck Bednarik Award after a standout senior season. He finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting, too. His statistical jump hasn't been major. With one game remaining in 2009, Suh has 82 total tackles, six more than his total last year. He has recorded 4½ more sacks, four more tackles for loss and 17 more quarterback hurries. Of course, Suh isn't a perfect NFL prospect, scouts would like to see Suh maneuver past linemen and get to the quarterback more effectively, but it's an aspect of his game that he can get better at. – Omaha.com

12.06.09 - If ever a contest offered proof that a defensive player deserves to be considered the best player in college football, it was Saturday’s Big 12 Conference Championship. While notching 4 1/2 sacks and making seven tackles behind the line of scrimmage, Suh made McCoy look like he was heaving passes mainly just to try and draw an interference penalty. It’s insane that a defensive tackle can produce so many sacks. Suh has 24 in his career, and his 12 this year are just three shy of the Nebraska single-season record. “We thought that (Gerald) McCoy at Oklahoma was as good as we’ve seen in years, and Ndamukong Suh did the same tonight,” Texas coach Mack Brown said. “He was all over the place and we just couldn’t handle him. – Husker Extra

11.01.09 - Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh was ticketed for negligent driving after he hit three parked cars early Sunday morning. Suh, who was driving a 2003 Land Rover sport-utility vehicle, said he struck the first vehicle after he swerved to avoid hitting a small dog or cat crossing the street. Suh reportedly had been drinking before the accident, but his blood-alcohol level was well below the legal limit.

10.09.09 - The whole story is the hurries, the Tiger holding penalties, the ridiculously quick, telegraphed throws made by Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert, who got as rude an awakening Thursday night as NU’s Zac Lee. The whole story is how Suh allows that front four to dominate, how that front four allowed the secondary to be aggressive, how that secondary allowed NU to even have a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter. Suh’s presence and play sent shockwaves through this team. He’s the anchor. He’s the rock. He ought to be a Heisman candidate in a season where quarterbacks are getting hurt or having average seasons. Will he get the notoriety? Only if voters get a clue and realize that 26 NFL scouts weren’t at the game Thursday to shine their shoes. – Nebraska State Paper

01.13.09 - Great news for the University of Nebraska and the fans of Nebraska football as Ndamukong Suh has officially said that he will be returning to Lincoln for his Senior season in 2009. Suh was being projected as a first round draft pick by many draft websites so getting him back for another year will really help out on the defensive line Suh had this to say in a written statement that was released by the university: “I have made the decision to return to school to complete my degree and play for Nebraska in 2009,” Suh said. “After discussing the issue with my family and my coaches, I know that coming back to Nebraska is the right thing for me. First, you can’t put a price on graduating from college and I will leave here with my degree. Second, I have learned so much in the past year from Coach Pelini and his staff and I look forward to another year of development at Nebraska.

VITALS

Honor Roll: Suh was named first team All-Big 12 by the Associated Press, second team by the coaches, and Nebraska Defensive MVP in 2008. In 2006 he was named first team Freshman All-Big 12 by The Sporting News.

High School: Suh attended Grant High School in his hometown of Portland, Oregon. He was named PIL Defensive Player of the Year and first team All-League on both offense and defense in 2004. He finished his senior year with 65 tackles, 10 sacks, and four fumble recoveries. As a junior, he was given Class 4A All-State Offense and Defense honorable mention. He was also named first team All-PIL on offense and defense that same season.

Personal: Suh is majoring in construction management. His mother is from Jamaica and his father hails from Cameroon. In the Ngema tribe in Cameroon, Ndamukong means “House of Spears”.

Medical Examiner: Received a medical red-shirt due to a knee injury he suffered after two games.

Bio

Photo Credit: Scott Bruhn/NU Media Relations (head shot), College Press Box