David Veikune

{{Short description|American gridiron football player (born 1985)}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = David Veikune

| image = David Veikune.JPG

| caption = Veikune with Denver Broncos in 2010

| current_team =

| number = 57, 90, 94

| position = Defensive end

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|12|12}}

| birth_place = Anchorage, Alaska, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lbs = 265

| high_school = James Campbell {{nowrap|(ʻEwa Beach, Hawaii)}}

| college = Hawaii

| draftyear = 2009

| draftround = 2

| draftpick = 52

| pastteams = * Cleveland Browns ({{NFL Year|2009}})

Denver Broncos ({{NFL Year|2010}})
Saskatchewan Roughriders ({{CFL Year|2011}}−{{CFL Year|2013}})
Los Angeles Kiss ({{AFL Year|2014}})

| status =

| highlights = * First-team All-WAC (2007)

Second-team All-WAC (2008)

| statlabel1 = Total tackles

| statvalue1 = 5

| aflstatlabel1 = Total tackles

| aflstatvalue1 = 2

| afl = 12814

| pfr = VeikDa99

}}

David Fa'otusia Veikune (born December 12, 1985) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Hawaii Warriors and was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2009 NFL draft.

He has also played for the Denver Broncos of the NFL, the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and the Los Angeles Kiss of the Arena Football League (AFL).

Early life

Veikune played high school football at Campbell High School in 'Ewa Beach, Hawai'i.{{Cite web |url=http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_main.aspx?id=5312&sport=NFL |title=David Veikune |access-date=June 7, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100916072544/http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_main.aspx?sport=NFL&id=5312 |archive-date=September 16, 2010 |url-status=dead}} As a senior, he posted 92 tackles, 26 tfl's and 16.5 sacks. Top games: in a win over Waianae his senior year, he had 17 total stops (six solo), three tackles for loss, seven sacks, one forced fumble, one recovered fumble and a blocked PAT; against Leilehua that season he finished with 21 tackles (six solo), with one forced fumble and one recovered fumble. He was named 1st team by the Star Bulletin and the Honolulu Advertiser. An interesting accolade Veikune earned his junior and senior year was the Larry Price All-Katoosh Team, which is a list of the state’s 11 hardest hitters.

College career

=Colorado=

He started his career at the University of Colorado at Boulder where he was redshirted in 2004.

=Fresno City College=

He transferred to Fresno City College where he spent a year. He earned All-Northern California honorable mention.

=Hawaii=

Later he transferred to the University of Hawaii at Manoa where he saw action as a special teamer and as backup in 2006. In 2007, Veikune was named a 1st team ALL-WAC Selection even though he never started a game. He led the WAC in sacks with seven (pre-bowl). In 2008, Veikune earned a 2nd team ALL-WAC Selection after he was the team's third leading tackler with 73 and was among the WAC's leaders with 16.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks. He played Defensive tackle and Defensive end at Hawaii. He also had 11 quarterback hurries and forced four fumbles.

He was invited to play in the 2009 Senior Bowl[http://hawaiiathletics.com/news/2009/1/16/FB_0116090737.aspx Warrior Trio To Compete In College All-Star Games] to play for the South Team.

Professional career

{{nfl predraft

| height ft = 6

| height in = 3

| weight = 257

| dash = 4.75

| ten split = 1.58

| twenty split = 2.76

| shuttle = 4.46

| cone drill = 7.20

| vertical = 33

| broad ft = 9

| broad in = 2

| bench = 35

| wonderlic = 28

| arm span = 34.3

| hand span = 10

| note = 40 (and splits) from Hawaii Pro Day, all others from NFL Combine.{{cite web|url=http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/NFLDraft/Draft+Extras/2009/wwhi042109.htm |title=The Way We Hear It — draft edition |first=Nolan |last=Nawrocki |work=Pro Football Weekly website |date=April 21, 2009 |accessdate=April 25, 2009 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

}}

=Cleveland Browns=

Veikune was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the second round (52nd overall) of the 2009 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=2009 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2009/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com}} He was taken one pick before Pro Bowler LeSean McCoy, although the Browns were already starting Jamal Lewis at tailback. The pick was acquired from the New York Jets in an earlier trade that allowed the Jets to draft quarterback Mark Sanchez.

Veikune appeared in 10 games on kick return as a rookie. He tore his mcl on the last practice of the year and was placed on season-ending injured reserve on January 2, 2010.{{Cite web |url=http://cle.scout.com/2/934379.html |title=Scout.com: Veikune Heads to IR |access-date=January 3, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106022752/http://cle.scout.com/2/934379.html |archive-date=January 6, 2010 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}

Veikune was waived by the Browns on September 7, 2010.{{cite news|url=http://www.morningjournal.com/general-news/20100907/browns-release-linebacker-veikune|title=Browns release linebacker Veikune|publisher=The Morning Journal|date=September 8, 2010|accessdate=December 15, 2013}}

=Denver Broncos=

On November 17, 2010, Veikune signed with the Denver Broncos and was a top special team player for the remaining 2010 season.{{cite web|url=http://media.denverbroncos.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=84 |title=BRONCOS SIGN FREE-AGENT LB DAVID VEIKUNE; WAIVE LB JARVIS MOSS |work=denverbroncos.com |date=November 17, 2010 |accessdate=December 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215102912/http://media.denverbroncos.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=84 |archivedate=December 15, 2013 }} He was waived the following season on August 29, 2011.{{cite web|url=http://denver.cbslocal.com/2011/08/29/broncos-release-8th-year-cornerback-nate-jones/|title=Broncos Release 8th-Year Cornerback Nate Jones|work=CBS|date=August 29, 2011|accessdate=December 13, 2013}}

=Saskatchewan Roughriders=

On November 3, 2011, it was announced that Veikune had signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.http://www.riderville.com/article/riders-sign-defensive-end {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111106023221/http://www.riderville.com/article/riders-sign-defensive-end |date=November 6, 2011 }} Riders Sign Defensive End{{cite web |url=http://cfl.ca/page/transactions-november-2011 |title=Transactions - November 2011 {{pipe}} CFL.ca {{pipe}} Official Site of the Canadian Football League |accessdate=December 20, 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151020195859/http://cfl.ca/page/transactions-november-2011 |archivedate=October 20, 2015 }} Transactions - November 2011

On May 31, 2013, Veikune was released by the Riders before training camp started because he had a high ankle sprain that wouldn't heal until the end of the season.{{cite news|url=http://www.dawgsbynature.com/2013/6/1/4387546/former-browns-lb-david-veikune-released-from-cfl-team|title=Former Browns LB David Veikune Released from CFL Team|publisher=dawgsbynature.com|author=Chris Pokorny|date=June 1, 2013|accessdate=December 15, 2013}}

=Los Angeles Kiss=

On October 1, 2013, Veikune was assigned to the expansion Los Angeles Kiss of the Arena Football League.{{cite news|url=http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/a-footbl/spec-rel/100813aab.html|title=KISS Bolster Squad with Additions of Veikune, Jarboe|publisher=arenafootball.com|date=October 8, 2013|accessdate=December 15, 2013|archive-date=December 15, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215102619/http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/a-footbl/spec-rel/100813aab.html|url-status=usurped}}

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20130430181240/http://riderville.com/roster/show/id/4699 Saskatchewan Roughriders bio]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20091204082308/http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/team/player.php?id=3816 Cleveland Browns bio]
[http://www.hawaiiathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2440&path=football Hawaii Warriors bio]

Category:1985 births

Category:Living people

Category:American people of Tongan descent

Category:Players of American football from Anchorage, Alaska

Category:Players of American football from Honolulu

Category:American football defensive ends

Category:American football linebackers

Category:Colorado Buffaloes football players

Category:Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football players

Category:Cleveland Browns players

Category:Denver Broncos players

Category:Saskatchewan Roughriders players

Category:Fresno City Rams football players

Category:Los Angeles Kiss players

Category:Players of Canadian football from Alaska

Category:Pacific Islander American players of American football