Ngata is moving forward and hoping he's showed enough to NFL teams

Joseph Ngata played all 14 games this past season and he's hoping NFL teams can look past an injury-filled history.

by Ariana Pensy - Correspondent - Sat Mar 25 13:00:24 GMT-04:00 2023

CLEMSON - Joseph Ngata seems to believe that he has a lot to prove to NFL scouts, and he used Clemson’s Pro Day to show just what he is capable of earlier this month.

“I just wanted to come out here and play football,” Ngata said. “Apparently, I can’t do certain things but I just wanted (to) prove to people that I can do it, not necessarily prove everybody wrong or prove anybody right, just showing what I can do. At the end of the day, it’s all business. I understand that.”

One thing that there have been remarks about with Ngata is his lack of speed compared to other receivers going pro. The fastest 40-yard dash at the Combine came from Trey Palmer out of Nebraska with a time of 4.33; he was one of five receivers who ran under 4.40. Ngata, on the other hand, ran a 4.54. Still, he received positive feedback from the scouts.

“They said I looked good, but honestly I thought I could have done a lot better,” Ngata said. “I really appreciate everyone coming out here and evaluating me. I feel like that’s a big part of this process and it’s crazy because not a lot of people get all 32 teams out to their Pro Day so, I’m just really appreciative of them … They said I look good, but I want to show them more.”

Injuries have been a concern for him over his career. He had a foot injury throughout the 2021 season and before that in 2020, he suffered an abdominal strain. Ngata was healthy throughout the 2022 season, not having to miss any games.

“There’s a lot of teams that have asked me about injuries. I cleared everything out. The MRIs, my body’s a full-go, 100%,” Ngata said. “I look good. I feel great. I’m ready to keep going, keep working on my body, keep elevating.”

Even though he was healthier than in previous years, his production was limited. Although it should be noted that the receiving core struggled as a whole, partially as a result of the inconsistent play of quarterback DJ Uiagalelei and spotty play calling from former offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter, Ngata was still second on the team in receiving with 41 receptions for 526 yards, averaging 37.6 yards per game. The lack of productivity he showed is something that may deter NFL teams from drafting him, but Ngata is just looking for the opportunity to prove himself.

“Whatever happens happens,” Ngata said. “As long as I get the opportunity to show what I can do on a team, I’ll be fine wherever I land, so it (doesn’t) matter as long as I get my foot in the door, I can take it from there.”

There is a strong argument to be made that he should have stayed at Clemson for another year, particularly with the acquisition of new offensive coordinator Garrett Riley from TCU. Riley went to a National Championship last season and produced a projected first-round receiver (Quentin Johnston), and with having a full season of Cade Klubnik at quarterback. But, his decision is final and he’s looking toward his future career in the NFL.

“Whenever I make a decision, I pray about it, I talk to my family about it, talk to my friends about it,” Ngata said. “Obviously, a lot of people wanted me to come back but I think at the end of the day, I can’t take back what I did, can’t take back anything and now I’m just moving forward, looking forward.”