Haloti Ngata Etuini Haloti Ngata ( ; born January 21 , 1984 ) is an American football nose tackle and defensive end for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League ( NFL ) . He played college football for the University of Oregon and earned All - American honors . The Baltimore Ravens chose him in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft , and he has been selected for the Pro Bowl five times . Early years . Ngata , of Tongan ancestry , was born in Inglewood , California . He attended Highland High School in Salt Lake City , Utah and was a three - year starter on the defensive line . As a senior , he recorded over 200 tackles and led his team to the state quarterfinals , following a 12 - 2 record and a berth in the State Championship as a junior . Ngata was named the 2001 Utah Gatorade Player of the Year and a first - team " USA Today " All - USA selection . He played in the 2002 U . S . Army All - American Bowl . Ngata was listed as a five - star recruit and the No . 2 overall prospect in the nation by " Rivals . com " . He chose Oregon over BYU , Nebraska , Texas A & M , and Washington . Ngata also played rugby in high school , and helped lead the Highland Rugby Club to the National Rugby Championship . He was red carded in the championship match . College career . A devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - Day Saints , Ngata said he felt most at home at Brigham Young University , but struggled to make his college decision . He eventually signed a national letter of intent to play for the Oregon Ducks football team of the University of Oregon . Ngata tore his anterior cruciate ligament ( ACL ) on a punt coverage play in 2003 and missed the rest of that season . But over the next two seasons , Ngata became one of the best players in college football . Ngata totaled 107 tackles , 17 . 5 tackles for a loss , and 6 . 5 sacks total in the 2004 and 2005 seasons . He was a second - team All - Pac - 10 selection in 2004 , a first - team All - Pac - 10 selection in 2005 . Following his senior season in 2005 , he was recognized as the Pac - 10 Defensive Player of the Year and a consensus first - team All - American , Oregon ' s first in 43 years . Ngata also earned praise as a dangerous special teams player , blocking 7 kicks during his 3 - year career at Oregon . He had a bench press max , which ranks second all - time among Oregon Ducks football players , behind only Igor Olshansky ' s . Professional career . 2006 NFL Draft . Ngata decided to leave Oregon a year early because his mother , ' Ofa , was in the early stages of kidney dialysis . She died from her illness on January 13 , 2006 . Ngata was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round ( 12th overall ) in the 2006 NFL Draft . It was the first time in franchise history the Ravens used a first round pick on a defensive lineman . Ngata became the highest selected defensive lineman from the current Pac - 12 conference since Andre Carter in 2001 . Baltimore Ravens . Early career . On July 28 , 2006 , Ngata ended a brief contract holdout by agreeing to a 5 - year contract worth up to $ 14 million with the Baltimore Ravens . In his rookie season , he started in all 16 games and finished the campaign with 31 tackles , one sack and an interception . The following season , he made 63 tackles and three sacks . Ngata had two interceptions in 2008 . 2009 season . During the 2009 season , Ngata started all 16 Ravens regular season and both post season games . During the regular season , he recorded 36 tackles , of which 26 were unassisted and 1 . 5 sacks . He was selected for the first time in his career to play in the NFL Pro Bowl . 2010 season . After an outstanding 2010 season which included 63 tackles and 5 . 5 sacks , Ngata was selected to the 2010 All - Fundamentals Team by USA Football and the NFL Players Association . 2011 season . On February 15 , the Ravens placed their franchise tag on Ngata . On September 20 , he was signed to a 5 - year deal worth $ 61 million . The Ravens opened the 2011 season at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 11 . In the game Ngata forced a fumble and tipped a pass that led to a Ray Lewis interception ; the Ravens won 35 - 7 . Two weeks later against the St . Louis Rams , Ray Lewis sacked Sam Bradford . Bradford fumbled , and the ball was recovered by Ngata who scored his first career regular season touchdown . On October 2 , 2011 , during the Ravens game against the New York Jets , Ngata sacked Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez , causing Sanchez to fumble the ball . Ravens linebacker Jarrett Johnson picked up the fumble and returned it for a touchdown . The Ravens won the game 34 - 17 . After reviewing the hit , the NFL levied a $ 15 , 000 fine against Ngata for roughing the passer even though no penalty was called by officials during the game . Ngata finished the season with a career - high 64 tackles ( 36 unassisted ) , along with 5 sacks , 2 forced fumbles , and 5 passes defended . Ngata also earned his third straight Pro Bowl appearance . Ngata is known throughout the NFL for being a very versatile player . He mainly lines up at strongside defensive end in the Baltimore Ravens 3 - 4 base defense , but sometimes lines up at nose tackle . In their 4 - 2 nickel package , he lines up at defensive tackle . This versatility makes Ngata one of the most dominant defensive linemen in the NFL . 2012 season . During the 2012 season , Ngata played mostly defensive tackle and sometimes defensive end . He collected 5 sacks and 51 tackles overall . He was also part of the championship - winning team in Super Bowl XLVII as the Ravens beat the 49ers 34 - 31 . 2013 season . In 2013 , Ngata played mostly as a nose tackle making 33 tackles , 1 . 5 sacks , and 3 passes defended in 15 games played . Personal . Ngata was born in Inglewood , California , to Solomone Ngata and ' Ofa ( née Moala ) , who had emigrated from Tonga to the United States in the early 1970s . He has two older brothers , Solomone Jr . and Finau , a younger brother , Vili , and a younger sister , Ame . Haloti Ngata was named after his maternal uncle , Haloti Moala - Liava ' a , who was a middle linebacker for the Utah Utes ( 1984 – 1988 ) . The family moved to Salt Lake City , Utah , in 1990 . In December 2002 , Ngata ' s father died in a single - vehicle truck accident , while trying to climb the on - ramp to Interstate 80 from Route 215 just outside Salt Lake City . His mother , having battled with diabetes - caused chronic kidney disease for years , died in January 2006 . Ngata ' s extended family includes numerous athletes . One of his cousins , Tevita Moala , was a starting linebacker on Oregon State ' s 2000 Fiesta Bowl team . Another cousin , Fili Moala , was an All - American defensive lineman at Southern California ( 2004 – 2008 ) , and now plays for the Indianapolis Colts . Ngata is also a distant relative of basketball player Jabari Parker . Ngata resides in Finksburg , Maryland , and is married to former Christina Adams since June 2007 . The couple has two sons , Solomon ( born July 2009 ) — named after his late father — , and Haloti Maximus ( born August 2012 ) .