Junior Tafuna

UPDATES

Week 0: DNP

HISTORY — from college profile

TAFUNA QUICK HITS

• Three-time Pac-12 All-Conference Second Team (2021 AP; 2022 Coaches; 2023 Coaches and Phil Steele).
• 2021 Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year.
• 38 games played as a Ute, starting his last 36 appearances. 

2023: Started at defensive tackle in 11 games.

• Credited 17 tackles on the season (3.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks), as well as one forced fumble, one recovery and two PBU.
• Season-high five stops included a TFL at No. 19 Oregon State.
• Forced and recovered a fumble in the game vs. No. 8 Oregon.
• Had three tackles and a sack during the fourth quarter vs. No. 22 UCLA.
• Capped the season with three stops (1.0 TFL, 0.5 sack) and a PBU vs. Northwestern in the Las Vegas Bowl.
• Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll.

2022: Started all 14 games.

• Contributed 27 tackles (3.5 TFL, 1.0 sack), one interception, two QB hurries and a breakup.
• Season-best six tackles in the Homecoming victory vs. Oregon State.
• Made five more stops in the game at No. 18 UCLA.
• Came up with a sack during the Rose Bowl Game vs. No. 11 Penn State.
• First career interception highlighted a three-tackle day vs. Southern Utah.
• Logged his first pass breakup of the season at No. 12 Oregon.

2021: Saw action in 13 games on the season, starting at left tackle in the final 11 contests.

• Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year.
• Recorded 33 tackles (5.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks) along with a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.
• Put up a career-high nine tackles (1.5 TFL, 1.0 sack) against Arizona.
• Had four tackles that included a 12-yard sack against No. 18 Arizona State.
• Recorded three tackles (1.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks) against No. 3 Oregon in the regular season, earning Pac-12 Defensive Line Player of the Week.
• Logged four tackles in the second game of his career against San Diego State.
• First career fumble recovery came at Oregon State.
• Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll.

2020: Did not see action. 
 
High School: Three-star recruit out of Bingham HS, rated the No. 7 recruit in the state of Utah.

• Second-team all-state as a senior in 2018.
• Invited to the 2019 Polynesian Bowl.
• 64 tackles (1.0 sack) and an interception as a senior in 2018.
• 74 tackles (1.0 sack) and an interception in 2017.
• Bingham HS won state championships in 2016 and 2017.

Personal: Son of Mau and Timote … has four siblings … served an LDS mission in Praia, Cape Verde … full name Timote (Junior) Maile Tafuna.