Tamba Hali

Defensive End, Senior, Penn State 

Height: 6-3 | Weight: 267 | 40-Time: 4.75

Strengths:
Very solid and compactly built...A very good athlete...Intense and very competitive with tons of energy...Has a motor that never stops...Very quick off the ball...Is real explosive with an excellent closing burst...Has good strength and will not get pushed around...Really came into his own as a senior...Versatile player who has experience at defensive tackle as well as dropping into coverage.

Weaknesses:
Does not have great size and is a little on the short side...His timed speed is nothing to get excited about...Lacks a wide variety of pass rush moves...Has short arms and doesn't use his hands well...Can be engulfed by bigger offensive lineman and double teams...Made a lot of his plays rushing off the edge...Probably doesn't have the frame to get much bigger than he already is.

Notes:
A native of Liberia who came to the United States when he was 10-years-old...Doesn't have any outstanding physical tools but is very effective due to his top intangibles...An all-around lineman who can rush the passer and play the run.

BIO:

Shifted from defensive tackle to end entering his junior season, Tamba Hali blossomed into a relentless, playmaking force at his new position in 2004. He was selected second-team All-Big Ten by the coaches and media and should be a candidate for conference and national honors in his senior season. Hali was a primary reason why the Nittany Lions were ranked in the top 10 in total and scoring defense and was the nation's only team to not allow more than 21 points in a game. A very mature and driven leader, Hali was chosen a preseason second-team All-American by Athlon, an honorable-mention All-American by Street & Smith's and first-team All-Big Ten by Athlon and Lindy's heading into this season. Hali brings tremendous athleticism, attitude and toughness to the D-Line and will be counted on for leadership and consistently productive play. He has very good size and strength and has the ability to be a dominant physical presence. His quickness and instincts also give him the opportunity to consistently deliver big plays and he wears down opposing defenses with an engine and desire that never quits. He has played in the last 35 games and is the Lions' most experienced defensive lineman. Hali was thrown into the fray in the second game of his true freshman season. But, making his collegiate debut as an 18-year-old against Nebraska was nothing compared to some of his experiences in his native Liberia. The African nation was ravaged by civil war during Hali's youth and he fled the country as a 10-year-old, joining his father, Henry, a chemistry and physics teacher who already was in the United States. He has not seen his mother, Rachel Keita, since, but maintains contact with her and members of his family in Liberia and is hopeful of being reunited with them in the near future.

2004 Junior Season

Hali was shifted from defensive tackle to end during spring drills and thrived in his new position. He was a primary reason why the Nittany Lions were ranked in the top 10 in four categories and were the nation's only team to not allow more than 21 points in a game. A starter in all 11 contests, he was selected second-team All-Big Ten by the coaches and media. Hali tied for the team lead and sixth in the Big Ten with 12 tackles for loss (minus-43 yards) and was fifth on the team with 51 tackles (29 solo). He added two sacks, one interception, one forced fumble and a pass breakup to greatly aid the stout defense. Hali tied his career-high with 10 stops and added a tackle for loss in helping hold the Ohio State offense to seven points and posted six tackles and a sack against Northwestern and Indiana in a stellar three-game stretch at the end of the year. He made four tackles against Iowa (three solo), including two TFL, and forced a fumble, in helping hold the Hawkeyes to two field goals. Hali posted at least one tackle for loss in 10 of 11 games and, in the one game he didn't, the season-ending victory over Michigan State, he grabbed his first career interception that set up an eight-yard touchdown drive. He was on the field for 734 snaps, highest among the defensive linemen, and sixth-highest on the team.

2003 Sophomore Season

Hali played in every game, starting 11, at defensive tackle. He ranked sixth on the team with 53 tackles (23 solo), including six tackles for loss (minus-16 yards), one sack, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup. He was tied for third on the squad in minusyardage plays. Nagging injuries hampered him in several games, but he still managed to plug the middle effectively and post some outstanding efforts. In the season-opening win over Temple, Hali made six tackles with one tackle for loss. He recorded five tackles (four solo) and a TFL at Nebraska and another five-tackle day with two TFL at Iowa. He made a career-high tying 10 tackles at Northwestern and had six tackles (four solo) and one TFL in a win over Indiana. Hali made his first career sack and added three tackles in a narrow loss to Ohio State. He was on the field for 604 plays, topped by 66 against Northwestern and 63 at Michigan State.

2002 Freshman Season

Beginning with the Nebraska contest, Hali played in 12-straight games, and was one of only three true freshmen to see action. He made 10 tackles (five solo), including a hit for a three-yard loss in the 40-7 win over the Huskers in his debut. Hali made two tackles each against Nebraska and Michigan State and posted a season-best three stops in the Capital One Bowl contest with Auburn. He was on the field for 156 snaps.

High School

Hali was an All-American for Coach Dennis Heck at Teaneck HS. He was selected an All-America defensive end by G&W and SuperPrep ranked him as the nation's No. 3 defensive lineman and No. 1 overall prospect in New Jersey. He was a nominee for New Jersey 2001 Gatorade Player-of-the-Year. During his superb senior year, he collected 64 solo tackles, including 23 tackles for losses and eight sacks. As a junior, he had 45 unassisted tackles, with 24 TFL and 12 sacks. Hali also played basketball.

Personal

Full name is Tamba Boimah Hali. He is a journalism major. Born November 3, 1983.