Louisville DT Rene Konga Signs UDFA Deal with Dolphins

The defensive tackle had a career resurgence after transferring to Louisville, and was one of the best interior linemen in the ACC this past season.

Nov 1, 2025; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Louisville Cardinals defensive lineman Rene Konga (90) tackles Virginia Tech Hokies running back Terion Stewart (8) during the second quarter at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - After going unselected in the 2026 NFL Draft, Louisville defensive tackle Rene Konga is signing an undrafted free agent deal with the Miami Dolphinas, according to NFL Draft on SI's Justin Melo.

Konga is one of five former Cardinals to sign an undrafted free agent deal following the conclusion of the 2026 NFL Draft, joining wide receiver Caullin Lacy, quarterback Miller Moss, center Pete Nygra and linebacker T.J. Quinn. Just one Louisville player was selected in this year's draft, with wide receiver Chris Bell coming off the board in the third round to the Miami Dolphins.

The 6-foot-4, 300-pound defensive tackle is coming off of his best season at the collegiate level, one which earned him a Second-Team All-ACC nod. Starting all 12 regular season games before opting out of the Boca Raton Bowl, Konga collected 29 tackles (13 solo), five for loss, 1.5 sacks and a team-best six pass breakups. His 86.4 defensive grade on Pro Football Focus not only led power conference interior tackles with at least 500 defensive snaps, but it was second in the entire FBS.

Originally starting his career at Rutgers, Konga transferred to Louisville ahead of the 2024 season. While an injury impacted his efficiency and availability down the stretch of that campaign, he was still an immediate impact in the middle of the line for the Cardinals. Starting the first five games and playing in 11 overall, he collected 20 tackles (12 solo), three for loss and 2.5 sacks.

A native of Ottawa in Ontario, Canada, Konga spent the first four years of his collegiate career withe Scarlet Knights. He didn't play in 2020 after reclassifying from the Class of 2021, and had just one solo tackle during the 2021 season. Konga was a rotational piece on the defensive during his final two seasons in Piscataway, collecting five tackles plus a sack in 2022, then eight tackles, two for loss, a sack and a forced fumble in 2023.

Over the course of his collegiate career, Konga amassed 63 total tackles (33 solo), 11.0 for loss, 6.0 sacks, eight pass breakups and a forced fumble. During his two years at Louisville, Konga collected 49 tackles (25 solo), 8.0 for loss, four sacks and six pass breakups.

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(Photo of Rene Konga: Brian Bishop - Imagn Images)