Packers Profile: Joey Mbu

A profile of Packers defensive tackle Joey Mbu.

The Tape

  • Position: Defensive Tackle
  • Age: 25
  • Height: 6’ 3”
  • Weight:  313 lbs.
  • 40-yard Dash: 5.54 seconds
  • Vertical Jump: 22.5”
  • Broad Jump: 97”

The Roots

Joey Mbu attended John and Randolph Forster High School in Richmond, Texas, a far outreaching southwest suburb of Houston.  As a member of the prep football team, Mbu was a three-year starter on the offensive and defensive lines where he earned first-team all-district honors his junior and senior years and second-team honors as a sophomore.  During his high school career, Mbu also threw the discus and shot put for the school’s track and field team.

Coming out of high school, Mbu was a three-star recruit that had interest from Air Force, Arizona, Kansas State and Rice.  Deciding to stay close to home, he opted to join the program at the University of Houston. 

Mbu saw the field right away as a true freshman and began starting games during his sophomore season.  He would continue as an integral piece of the Cougars defensive line through his senior season.  At the end of his collegiate career with Houston, Mbu would post career numbers of 38 solo tackles, 54 assisted tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, six passes defended and two interceptions.  After his senior season in 2014, Mbu would earn American Athletic Conference first-team honors and be selected to the rosters of the Senior Bowl and the East-West Shrine Game.

Coming out of college, Mbu’s scouting report noted his positives as being a gritty player who plays hard on every down with great use of his hands along the line of scrimmage.  He is noted to have a high football IQ and great personal character.  His scouted negatives were that he lacked power and the ability to gain ground as a pass rusher at the NFL level.

Mbu was projected to be a potential seventh-round draft selection or a priority undrafted free agent signing.  Prior to the 2015 NFL Draft, the Packers had Mbu in for a pre-draft visit.

NFL Career

As the 2015 NFL Draft concluded, Mbu would end up going undrafted but would later sign as an undrafted free agent with the Atlanta Falcons just days after the draft.  After progressing through training camp with the Falcons that season, he would be released during the final roster cut and signed to the team’s practice squad.  In December of 2015, Mbu was promoted to the Falcons active roster where he would play in two games.  He recorded one solo and three assisted tackles in those games.

Mbu went back to training camp with the Falcons in 2016, but would again be waived during the final roster cuts.  Rather than being signed back to Atlanta’s practice squad, Mbu would sit idle until October when the Washington Redskins signed him to their practice squad.  He would remain there for the remainder of the 2016 season and would eventually sign a futures contract for the 2017 season with the Redskins.

Mbu progressed through training camp last year with the Redskins but again wouldn’t make the final cut for the team.  Shortly after, the Indianapolis Colts signed him to their practice squad in early September.  Mbu would be signed to the Colts active roster in November where he recorded two solo tackles and one assisted tackle while seeing action in two games.

As this offseason progressed, Mbu was waived by the Colts in May and signed by the Packers in early June.

The Future

Joey Mbu will join a loaded defensive line group for training camp this summer.  For Mbu, this could be the make or break year that will ultimately determine his fate as a future player in this league.  Having bounced around the league for a few years and not making a lasting impression on a team to stick there for good, he should come to training camp this summer fully motivated to impress.

If he does come in and make plays from the start, the Packers will have some tough decisions to make come time for roster cuts and piecing together the final 53-man roster.  Over the past five years, the Packers have kept five to six defensive linemen on the final roster.  Only one year, 2013, was an exceedingly high exception when they kept eight.  The number kept this year may also depend on the number of outside linebackers that the team keeps on the final roster.

When Packers fans were clamoring for help at pass rush, the team seemed to put more of an emphasis on the interior of the defensive line with signings like Mbu and Mo Wilkerson.  If Mike Pettine’s philosophy will start with the big men in the middle, Mbu may have a good shot of making the team to help plug up the middle of opposing offenses.

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Ryan Brunner is an avid Packers fan hailing from Chippewa Falls, WI.  He is a firm believer that punters are NFL players too!  Follow him on Twitter @brunwardo

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Comments (6)

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Since'61's picture

June 22, 2018 at 04:43 pm

Camp Fodder for yet a 4th team. Thanks, Since '61

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PatrickGB's picture

June 22, 2018 at 05:33 pm

He seems to personify the term borderline player. Years ago he would have been a full time starter on many teams. Some of today’s NFL starters are freaks!

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Mr.Grapple's picture

June 22, 2018 at 07:21 pm

I love these guys. Mbu. On the edge and never giving up. Do you realize how committed these man would be to doing his job if he got the job?

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4thand10's picture

June 24, 2018 at 10:53 pm

Aquiring or keeping 10 DL or big DE types isn't unheard of. Especially if a full 4-3 is used this year or even a 4-3 under. No one knows . A heavy base 3-4 sprinkled in with a perry type could be called both 4-3 or 4-3 under. Either way I'm fine with adding extra body's camp or no camp. As long as I rarely see the 2-4-5 this year I'll be totally happy .

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elisawise's picture

June 27, 2018 at 11:48 pm

Thanks and keep up the good work! http://spanishto-english.com/spanish-dictionary

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sophiaadams's picture

July 25, 2018 at 01:16 am

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