Koa Misi, OLB

Misi is considered one of the most talented athletes to ever perform at Utah. While he may not have the size teams look for in a prototype defensive end, Misi has proven that it is never wise to doubt his football ability.

Misi was a free-lancing, game-changing linebacker at Montgomery High School, where he twice earned All-Conference honors, in addition to being named the league's Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. That season, he helped the team compile a 13-0 record and win the league title. The honor roll student also lettered in baseball and basketball.

"He's one of the best we've ever had here," Montgomery head coach Jason Franci, a former Denver Broncos wide receiver, said of Misi, who starred as a Viking four years ago. "And I think he might have a chance to play on Sunday (in the NFL)."

Many scouts see the advent of a great strong-side linebacker in the Utah lineman's future. That would be perfectly fine for Misi, who excelled in that role at Montgomery High School.

The road to the NFL did not follow a normal path for Misi. Five colleges offered him a football scholarship: Utah, Colorado, San Diego State, Boise State and Oregon. Misi was overwhelmed by the attention and said he needed a break.

"When he said that," his mother Kathy recalled, "we (with ex-husband Sione) told Koa it was time to get his own place. He had a little bit of growing up to do."

Misi simply said it was too much football at the time.

In the fall of 2005, Misi enrolled at Santa Rosa Junior College as a student. And as a student Misi thought he would remain. For all the joy that football once meant, it had left him. At age seventeen, he was burned out. But, when he saw his high school teammates and friends playing at the junior college, "I started to regret my decision," Misi said.

Misi joined the Santa Rosa College squad in 2006, going on to earn All-Northern California Conference first-team honors as a defensive end. Armed with an associate's degree in Sociology, Misi enrolled at Utah the following season, accepting a football scholarship.

Coaches such as Utah's Kyle Whittingham who want to go undefeated in Division I, don't offer slackers scholarships. Misi became a fixture on the defensive line soon after arriving at the university. Based on his performances during his three seasons at Utah, he has erased any doubt of his commitment to football.

In his first season at Utah, Misi came off the bench for the first two games, but with two solid relief performances, the 260-pounder was asked to fill in at nose guard for a pair of contests. Despite being outweighed and double-teamed, he totaled 14 tackles with two sacks combined vs. UCLA and Nevada-Las Vegas.

The coaches then shifted him to left defensive tackle for the final nine games on the 2007 schedule. He finished third on the team with 67 tackles (29 solo). He also posted 2.5 sacks and ranked among the Mountain West Conference leaders with eight stops behind the line of scrimmage. In the New Mexico clash, he scooped up a fumble and showed off that "prep linebacker's" speed by returning the ball 28 yards for a touchdown.

In 2008, Misi shifted to left defensive end, teaming with Paul Kruger to give the Utes the most dominant defensive end tandem in the West. He earned second-team All-Mountain West Conference honors and was an Academic All-MWC choice. He shifted inside to defensive tackle vs. San Diego State, but despite dealing ankle and hip problems, he again placed third on the team with 68 tackles (31 solo), adding three sacks, 8.5 stops for loss, three forced fumbles and six pass deflections.

In 2009 fall camp, Misi was shifted to right defensive end, a position more suited for his physical style of play. But in a mid-August practice at Ute Field, there was Utah's star defensive player laying flat on a golf cart. The senior suffered a back injury, the extent of which was unknown at the time. "I thought the worst," he recalled. Misi's friends and coaches, however, kept telling him everything would be fine. Turns out they were right.

Although the injury kept him out of Utah's season opener vs. Utah State, Misi more than made up for it. He started the next twelve games and wound up leading all defensive linemen in the Mountain West Conference with 71 tackles (34 solo) that included five sacks, 9.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage and three forced fumbles. That performance earned him first-team All-MWC honors and an invitation to the Senior Bowl.

"It was a scary start to the season when he went down with that back injury. But he's 100 percent now and has had a very good year," said Utah coach Kyle Whittingham. "It's kind of a quiet year in some respects because his statistics have not been as good as maybe he hoped. But that's because he draws a lot of attention."

Misi was often getting double-teamed, Whittingham noted, and opposing offenses knew where he was and accounted for him. "It takes away some of the statistics he may have put up. But he's a very important part of our defense," the coach explained as the Utes prepared for the Poinsettia Bowl game against California. "He's a guy you can count on week in and week out. That's the big thing about him."

"The thing that is always the keynote of a defense is if an offense has to identify where he is," said Utah defensive line coach John Pease. "I think people have to know where Koa is and they work to that. But he still makes plays."

"He's a tenacious kid. He's a hard worker and very gifted," Whittingham said. "He's a gifted athlete. He may be as gifted of a player as we've had around here for a while."

Read & React: Very good football instincts -- sniffs out screens, misdirection and cut blocks. Reads routes and knows where the hot read is in coverage.

Run defense: Explosive coming off the edge if untouched, flexible enough to chase down backs. Lacks the bulk to play end on early downs at the next level, but is strong enough as a linebacker on the edge to be an effective run stopper. Smart on containment and takes away the cutback lane. Punches linemen coming out to block, can disengage to make a play. Gets through trash to find the ball. Excellent chase and hustle down the line or downfield.

Pass defense: Very fluid in his drops, turns hips and gets deep quickly. Will struggle getting off lineman blocks, but seems to find creases to get to the ball in traffic. Good ball awareness whether blitzing or dropped into zone coverage. Gets his hands up when unable to reach the quarterback. Beats cut blocks with his hands and agile enough to recover. Strong enough to handle tight ends on the edge but needs to improve his hand usage on the line. Hustles back to get to open receivers in zones.

Tackling: Excellent tackler, strong upper body and brings his hips to explode into ballcarriers. Breaks down in space and has the agility to rein in elusive players. Tracks down quicker players from behind in space with pure hustle. Will be a force on special teams, playing inside on coverage units.

Pass Rush/Blitz: Played mostly defensive end for the Utes, quick off the edge and plays through the whistle. When standing up, he has nice closing speed to the QB and some shiftiness to defeat running backs inside or turn the corner on lineman outside. Also uses his hands to keep lineman off balance and get around their outside shoulder. Will need counter moves and learn how to blow up blocks in the backfield.

Intangibles: Team captain. High character player praised by his coaches for work ethic. Suffered back injury in preseason practice, worked hard to miss only the first game of 2009 season.

Misi started 36-of-38 games during his Utah career -- 12 at right defensive end, 12 at left defensive end, 10 at left defensive tackles and two at nose guard … He recorded 206 tackles (94 solo) with 10.5 sacks for minus-56 yards and 26.0 stops for losses totaling 99 yards … His six forced fumbles tied for fourth on the school career-record list … Also recovered three fumbles, returning one 28 yards for a touchdown … Deflected eight passes.

All-American third-team and Super Sleeper Team selection by The NFL Draft Report …

All-Mountain West Conference first-team selection … Started the team's final 12 games at right defensive end, missing the season opener vs. Utah State after injuring his back in a mid-August scrimmage … Finished third on the team in tackles for the third consecutive season, totaling a career-best 71 hits (34 solo) with five sacks for minus-28 yards, 9.5 stops for losses of 34 yards and one quarterback pressure … Ranked ninth in the MWC in sacks (0.42 steals per game) and 12th in tackles for loss (0.79 tackles per game) … Also caused three fumbles.

All-Mountain West Conference second-team selection … Started 12 games at left defensive end and vs. San Diego State at left defensive tackle, but missed the second half of that contest and also the final two quarters of the Wyoming clash with a hip strain … Ranked third on the team with 68 tackles (31 solo), adding three sacks for minus-18 yards and 8.5 stops for losses of 34 yards … Caused three fumbles and recovered another … Had six pass deflections … Played a major part as the Utes ranked 11th in the nation in rush defense (99.15 yards per game) and total offense (289.15 yards per game).

Played in all 13 games, starting the final nine contests, seeing action at nose guard vs. UCLA and Nevada-Las Vegas before shifting to left defensive tackle for the remainder of the schedule … Ranked third on the team with 67 tackles (29 solo) … Credited with 2.5 sacks for minus-10 yards and eight stops for losses of 31 yards … Scooped up a fumble and returned it 28 yards for a touchdown vs. New Mexico … Also deflected two passes.

2008: Suffered an ankle sprain vs. Nevada-Las Vegas (9/22) … Left in the second half of both the Wyoming (10/11) and San Diego State (11/15) games with a hip strain.

2009: Suffered a back sprain in a mid-August scrimmage, missing the season opener vs. Utah State (9/03).

2009: Did not perform in the bench press at the NFL Scouting Combine due to a right wrist sprain.

Campus: 4.75 in the 40-yard dash … 1.64 10-yard dash … 2.76 20-yard dash … 4.27 20-yard shuttle … 7.07 three-cone drill … 38-inch vertical jump … 10'7" broad jump … Bench pressed 225 pounds 27 times … 32 1/2-inch arm length … 9 7/8-inch hands.

Attended Santa Rosa Junior College, earning an associates degree in sociology … Did not play football in 2005, but joined the 2006 squad, earning All-Northern California Conference honors while helping the team win the division title and receive a bowl invitation.

Attended Montgomery (Santa Rosa, Calif.) High School, playing football for head coach

Jason Franci … Misi was a free-ranging, game-changing linebacker, twice earning All-Conference honors, in addition to being named the league's Defensive Player of the Year as a senior … That season, he helped the team compile a 13-0 record and win the league title … Honor Roll student … Also lettered in baseball and basketball.

Sociology major … Son of Kathy Moix, Sione Misi and stepmother Melissa Misi (pronounced mee-see) … Father played football for Hawaii … Born Nawa'akoa Lisiate Foti Analeseanoa Misi on 1/17/87 … Resides in Santa Rosa, California.