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Former Wisconsin Football LB Named an Undrafted Free Agent to Watch

A former Badgers linebacker was named as a UDFA to watch.

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Wisconsin Badgers inside linebacker Maema Njongmeta
Nov 26, 2022; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Maema Njongmeta (55) commits a penalty on Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (8) during the fourth quarter at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

A former Wisconsin football player was among those mentioned as undrafted free agents to watch heading into the 2024 season. 

Pro Football Focus released their list of UDFAs to watch for every NFL team, and Maema Njongmeta received the nod for the Cincinnati Bengals. 


Njongmeta was one of several former Badgers to be signed to a UDFA deal, along with Tanner Mordecai, Hayden Rucci, and Peter Bowden. 

After playing seven games across his first three seasons with Wisconsin football, Njongmeta became a key part of the Badgers defense.

In 2022, the Illinois native played in all 13 games with 11 starts at linebacker. Njongmeta recorded 95 tackles, 11.5 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, two pass breakups, and an interception in his redshirt junior season, and with those marks, he took home third-team All-Big Ten honors. 

Njongmeta’s stock took a hit this past season in the Badgers’ first year under Luke Fickell. The 6-foot, 229-pound linebacker’s abilities were more aligned with Jim Leonhard’s system, and as a result, Njongmeta took a step back and finished with fewer snaps played than Jordan Turner and Jake Chaney. Njongmeta finished 2023 with 59 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, three sacks, three fumble recoveries, and a pass breakup. 

Here’s what PFF had to say about the former All-Big Ten linebacker:

“Njongmeta has been a force at linebacker for Wisconsin over the last two years, registering 146 total tackles over 26 games. He earned a 76.7 grade in 2023 and an excellent 88.5 grade in 2022. Njongmeta could feasibly be a real special teams asset for the Bengals.”

Cincinnati did not take a linebacker in the 2024 NFL Draft, leaving Njongmeta the opportunity to play well enough to earn a roster spot or, at the very least, the practice squad.

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Jake Maier is the managing editor and publisher at BadgerNotes.com. He has provided coaching and editorial support to numerous writers in his role, contributing significantly to the platform's growth. His expertise extends to Wisconsin Badgers football, basketball, and recruiting coverage. Jake's previous bylines can be found at Fansided and Wisconsin Sports Heroics.

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