Akron defensive end Nathan Kapongo gaining attention after impressive pro day.
Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry has been busy this offseason rebuilding and reinforcing the defensive line.
The biggest move was the contract extension for defensive end Myles Garrett, who determined that staying in Cleveland was the right call after weeks of saying he wanted a fresh start elsewhere. (The almost $123 million in guaranteed money certainly helped to smooth over any hard feelings.)
Free agency brought defensive tackle Maliek Collins and defensive end Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, and the club retained defensive ends Marcus Haynes and Elerson Smith by signing them to reserve/futures contracts.
The 2025 NFL Draft will present another opportunity to help the position group, with the ongoing debate over whether the Browns should select a quarterback with the No. 2 overall selection or grab Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter to pair with Garrett.
While the first round and Carter are claiming most of the attention, there is another player that may be worth keeping an eye on in the later rounds: defensive end Nathan Kapongo from the University of Akron.
The 6-foot-4 and 285-pound Kapongo held his pro day earlier this week and reportedly impressed the scouts in attendance. He is also drawing interest from several teams, including the Browns, according to NFL reporter Aaron Wilson:
Akron @ZipsFB defensive lineman Nathan Kapongo (6-4, 285, 4.78 speed, 10-0 broad jump, 37 tackles, six for losses, two fumble recoveries last season) impressed #NFL scouts at Pro Day and is drawing interest from multiple teams, including #Jaguars #Cardinals #Browns #Lions @KPRC2
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 21, 2025
Kapongo’s journey is one of those entertaining draft stories that come up every year.
A native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo until the age of 15, Kapongo immigrated to Portland, Maine, with his parents and several of his siblings in 2015. A year later, he began playing football at Portland High School, believing it would be a good match for his size and the natural strength that allowed him to dead-lift 500 pounds five times on his first visit to the school’s weight room.
From high school, Kapongo played five seasons at the University of New Hampshire before transferring to Akron for a final season against better competition. With the Zips, Kapongo played in 12 games, making 10 starts, and finished with 37 tackles, six tackles for loss, and one sack.
All the blood, sweat, and tears led to this very moment. I’m not just here to participate—I’m here to dominate. #ProDay #HustleHard #NextLevel #GrindDontStop pic.twitter.com/WyVpxnQEcr
— Nathan Kapongo (@uchiwa_nathan) March 20, 2025
It may be a big jump from New Hampshire, with a brief stop in Akron, to the NFL, but with everything that Kapongo has overcome so far he may be up to the challenge, as his former high school coach, Jason McLeod, told The Portland Press Herald:
“First and foremost, any sort of challenge imposed on him in his life, whether he was younger or older, he’s worked hard to overcome those challenges. He has a plan. He’s going to work his tail off and not give up until he achieves. Between his size and more important, the person he is. Put it this way, there’s 32 teams in the NFL and all he needs is one to give him a chance.”
Berry has never been afraid to consider players from smaller colleges, so come draft weekend Browns fans may want to keep an eye on Kapongo when Cleveland is on the clock in the later rounds.