Fili Moala

Moala was the only son in a five-child family and was not permitted by his mother to play football until high school; however he did participate in basketball and baseball.Jonathan Kay, [http://usc.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=737552 A Fili for his role], USCFootball.com, November 10, 2007, Accessed June 3, 2008. Moala played high school football at Western High School in Anaheim, California, where he was teammates with Mike Iupati. As a senior in 2002 he was a Super Prep All-Farwest, Prep Star All-West, Tom Lemming All-West and Tacoma News Tribune Western 100 selection.

Image:091507-USCNeb-FiliMoala.jpg

Moala originally signed with the University of Southern California in 2003, but did not qualify for admission. He attended Cypress College for one year, but did not play football there, before transferring into USC. During his first year at USC in 2004 he was redshirted. In 2005 he started two games for the Trojans recording eight tackles.

During his sophomore season in 2006, Moala pushed for and eventually won the starting spot, starting the last seven games and received All-Pac-10 honorable mention. He finished the season with 20 tackles, {{frac|2|1|2}} sacks, and one fumble recovery. As a junior in 2007 he started all 13 games recording 33 tackles, {{frac|2|1|2}} sacks, and was an All-Pac-10 honorable mention.

With the departure of top-10 draft pick defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, Moala was expected to step up on the Trojans' defensive line in the 2008 season.Gary Klein, [http://www.latimes.com/sports/college/usc/la-sp-uscfyi25-2008aug25,0,7798937.story Lofty predictions don't impress USC football player Fili Moala], Los Angeles Times, August 25, 2008, Accessed October 15, 2008. In the off-season and into the beginning of the 2008 season, Moala suffered from back spasms that limited his time in practices; he did not register a tackle during the 52–7 rout against the Trojans' first opponent, Virginia, which ran a spread offense that did not emphasize the run.Gary Klein and David Wharton, [http://www.latimes.com/sports/custom/extras/la-sp-usc11-2008sep11,0,7141274.story Fili Moala ready to get physical], Los Angeles Times, September 11, 2008, Accessed October 15, 2008. Moala showed marked improvements in the following game against Ohio State, where he made a sack and contributed to a defensive line that had {{frac|6|1|2}} tackles for losses, including five sacks.Gary Klein, [http://www.latimes.com/sports/custom/extras/la-sp-uscdline17-2008sep17,0,7106802.story USC's defensive line steps up its production], Los Angeles Times, September 17, 2008, Accessed October 15, 2008. Moala had a strong game against Arizona State, where he made three tackles, recovered a fumble, and blocked two third-quarter field goal attempts, tying the NCAA record for blocked field goals in a quarter.Gary Klein and David Wharton, [http://www.latimes.com/news/la-sp-uscnotes12-2008oct12,0,5005874.story USC's Fili Moala won't block this out of his memory], Los Angeles Times, October 12, 2008, Accessed October 15, 2008.

Entering his senior season, Moala began receiving heavy media attention as one of the best defensive linemen going into the season and a potential top-2009 NFL Draft pick in early mock drafts, with ESPN's draft expert Todd McShay naming him a possible first pick.Tony Pauline, [https://web.archive.org/web/20080502011802/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/football/nfl/specials/draft/2008/04/29/2009.prospects/index.html Never too early: Here's a dozen first-round prospects for '09 draft], Sports Illustrated, April 29, 2008, Accessed June 3, 2008.Matt Hayes, [http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=418949 Ranking the BCS-conference players by position] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080605001432/http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=418949 |date=2008-06-05 }}, Sporting News, June 2, 2008, Accessed June 3, 2008.[http://nfldraft.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=802821 Rivals.com 2009 NFL Mock Draft], Rivals.com, April 29, 2008, Accessed June 3, 2008.Todd McShay, [https://insider.espn.com/nfl/draft08/insider/columns/story?columnist=mcshay_todd&id=3372132&univLogin02=stateChanged Defenders earn four of top five spots in first 2009 mock draft], ESPN.com, April 29, 2008, Accessed June 3, 2008.

He was considered one of the best defensive tackle prospects for the 2009 NFL draft. However, durability concerns let him slip to the second round.{{Cite web |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/2009/draft/players/19675.html |title=Fili Moala - 2009 Draft Tracker - SI.com |access-date=2013-04-09 |archive-date=2009-04-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090429233123/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/2009/draft/players/19675.html |url-status=dead }}

{{NFL predraft

| height ft = 6

| height in = 4

| weight = 305

| dash = 5.07

| ten split = 1.69

| twenty split = 2.90

| shuttle =

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| vertical = 30+1/2

| broad ft = 8

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| bench = 25

| wonderlic =

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| note = All values from NFL Combine (no 20-ss, 3-cone because of left groin strain).{{cite web | url=http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=57023&draftyear=2009&genpos=DT | title=Hall of Football }}

}}

Moala was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the second round 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}}

Moala re-signed with the Colts to a one-year contract on March 4, 2013.{{cite news|work=NBCSports.com|url=http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/04/colts-re-sign-fili-moala/|title=Colts re-sign Fili Moala|first=Josh|last=Alper|date=March 4, 2013|accessdate=2013-11-28}} He re-signed with the Colts again on March 10, 2014.{{cite news|work=NBCSports.com|url=http://www.stampedeblue.com/2014/3/10/5493990/colts-re-sign-de-fili-moala|title=Colts Re-Sign DE Fili Moala|first=Josh|last=Alper|date=March 10, 2014|accessdate=2014-03-10}}

On August 19, 2015, Moala signed a one-year contract with the Houston Texans.{{cite web|url=http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Texans-add-Quintin-Demps-and-Fili-Moala/48a32ac1-61a0-4e44-8385-f5d31cea25e8|title=Texans add Quintin Demps and Fili Moala|last=Doughtery|first=Drew|work=houstontexans.com|date=August 19, 2015|accessdate=August 19, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150820130433/http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Texans-add-Quintin-Demps-and-Fili-Moala/48a32ac1-61a0-4e44-8385-f5d31cea25e8|archive-date=August 20, 2015|url-status=dead}}

Three of Moala's cousins have played at either Oregon State or Oregon: Tevita Moala (Oregon State, 1999–2000), Haloti Ngata (Oregon, 2002–2005), and Eric Moala (Oregon State, 2005–2006).

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• [http://www.colts.com/team/roster/Fili-Moala/deec0aad-9f16-4d6d-838b-a5d21f7cc0ec Indianapolis Colts bio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130313165115/http://www.colts.com/team/roster/fili-moala/deec0aad-9f16-4d6d-838b-a5d21f7cc0ec/ |date=2013-03-13 }}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090526030122/http://usctrojans.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/moala_fili01.html USC Trojans bio]

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Category:1985 births

Category:Living people

Category:American people of Tongan descent

Category:People from Buena Park, California

Category:Players of American football from Orange County, California

Category:American football defensive tackles

Category:USC Trojans football players

Category:Indianapolis Colts players

Category:Houston Texans players

Category:21st-century American sportsmen

Category:Pacific Islander American players of American football