Blessman Ta'ala
{{short description|American Samoan gridiron football player (born 1999)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox Canadian Football League biography
|name=Blessman Ta'ala
|image=2023, 51, Blessman Ta'ala.jpg
|image_upright=
|caption=Ta'ala with the Ottawa Redblacks in 2023
|team=Ottawa Redblacks
|number=51
|position1=Defensive lineman
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1999|3|11}}
|birth_place=Fagaʻitua, American Samoa
|Height_ft=6
|Height_in=2
|Weight_lbs=305
|college=Hawaii
|high_school=Faga‘itua (American Samoa)
|CFLDraftedYear=2023G
|CFLDraftedRound=1
|CFLDraftedPick=1
|CFLDraftedTeam=Ottawa Redblacks
|playing_years1={{CFL Year|2023}}–present
|playing_team1=Ottawa Redblacks
|status=Active
|import=Global
|career_highlights=
|CFL=blessman-ta-ala
}}
Blessman Ta'ala (born March 11, 1999) is an American Samoan professional Canadian football defensive lineman for the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Hawaii.
Early life
Ta'ala played high school football at Fagaʻitua High School in Fagaʻitua, American Samoa. He was named to the 2016 U.S. Army National Combine first team as a defensive lineman. He was rated the No. 1 overall recruit from American Samoa in the class of 2018 by 247Sports.{{cite web | url=https://247sports.com/Season/2018-Football/RecruitRankings/?InstitutionGroup=HighSchool&State=AS | title=2018 Top Football Recruits in American Samoa | publisher=247sports.com | accessdate=February 27, 2024}} Ta'ala also played one season of soccer in high school.{{cite web | url=https://hawaiiathletics.com/sports/football/roster/blessman-ta-ala/20033#sidearm-roster-player-summary | title=Blessman Ta'ala | publisher=hawaiiathletics.com | accessdate=February 27, 2024}}
College career
Ta'ala played college football at Hawaii from 2018 to 2022 as a defensive lineman.{{cite web | url=https://www.staradvertiser.com/2022/11/17/sports/warriors-blessman-feels-blessed-as-home-finale-nears/ | title=Hawaii defensive lineman Blessman Ta'ala feels blessed as home finale nears | publisher=staradvertiser.com | date=November 17, 2022 | accessdate=February 27, 2024 | author=Tsai, Stpehen}}{{cite web | url=https://www.staradvertiser.com/2022/03/25/sports/hawaii-footballs-taala-brothers-doing-their-work-in-the-iron-church/ | title=Hawaii football's Ta'ala brothers doing their work in the 'iron church | publisher=staradvertiser.com | date=March 25, 2022 | accessdate=February 27, 2024 | author=Tsai, Stpehen}}{{cite web | url=https://www.khon2.com/gobows/bows-blessman-taala-proud-to-represent-his-family-and-american-samoa/ | title=Hawaii's Blessman Ta'ala proud to represent his family and American Samoa | publisher=khon2.com | date=October 29, 2020 | accessdate=February 27, 2024}}
He started 14 games in 2018, recording 32 tackles and a blocked field goal. He played in 15 games, starting 11, in 2019, totaling 19 tackles, one sack and one blocked kick, earning honorable mention all-Mountain West Conference honors. Ta'ala started nine games in the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, recording 21 tackles and garnering honorable mention All-Mountain West recognition for the second consecutive year. He played in 13 games, starting four, in 2021, recording 30 tackles and one sack. He started 13 games in 2022, totaling 40 tackles and two sacks while also being one of four team captains. Ta'ala earned honorable mention All-Mountain West honors for the third consecutive year. He also played in a school-record 64 straight games during his five-season career.
Professional career
Ta'ala was selected by the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the first overall pick in the 2023 CFL Global Draft.{{cite web | url=https://ottawasun.com/sports/football/cfl/ottawa-redblacks/ottawa-redblacks-select-hawaii-defensive-lineman-blessman-taala-with-no-1-pick-in-cfl-global-draft | title=Ottawa Redblacks select Hawaii defensive lineman Blessman Ta'ala with No. 1 pick in CFL Global Draft | publisher=ottawasun.com | date=May 2, 2023 | accessdate=February 27, 2024 | author=Baines, Tim}} He signed with the team on May 2, 2023. He was placed on injured reserve on July 22, 2023, and activated from injured reserve on September 7, 2023.{{cite web | url=https://www.footballdb.com/teams/cfl/ottawa-redblacks/transactions | title=Ottawa RedBlacks Transactions | publisher=footballdb.com | accessdate=February 27, 2024}} Overall, Ta'ala dressed in 12 games, starting three, for the Redblacks in 2023, recording six tackles on defense, one special teams tackle, two sacks and one forced fumble.{{cite web | url=https://www.cfl.ca/players/blessman-ta-ala/167893/ | title=Blessman Ta'ala | publisher=cfl.ca | accessdate=February 27, 2024}}{{cite web | url=https://www.footballdb.com/players/blessman-taala-taalabl01 | title=Blessman Ta'ala | publisher=footballdb.com | accessdate=February 27, 2024}}{{cite web | url=https://www.statscrew.com/football/stats/p-taalable001 | title=Blessman Ta'ala | publisher=statscrew.com | accessdate=February 27, 2024}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.ottawaredblacks.com/players/blessman-ta-ala/167893/ Ottawa Redblacks bio]
- {{commonscatinline}}
{{Ottawa Redblacks roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ta'ala, Blessman}}
Category:Ottawa Redblacks players
Category:Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football players
Category:Canadian football defensive linemen
Category:American football defensive linemen
Category:Players of American football from American Samoa
Category:Players of Canadian football from American Samoa
Category:People from Eastern District, American Samoa
Category:Pacific Islander American players of American football