Jahlani Tavai
{{Short description|American football player (born 1996)}}
{{Use American English|date = September 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Jahlani Tavai
| image = 2017-0725-MWMD-JahlaniTavai.png
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Tavai at 2017 Mountain West media day
| current_team = New England Patriots
| number = 48
| position = Linebacker
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|09|28}}
| birth_place = Inglewood, California, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lb = 255
| high_school = Mira Costa {{avoid wrap|( Manhattan Beach, California)}}
| college = Hawaii (2014–2018)
| draftyear = 2019
| draftround = 2
| draftpick = 43
| pastteams =
- Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|2019}}–{{NFL Year|2020}})
- New England Patriots ({{NFL Year|2021}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
| statleague = NFL
| statseason = 2024
| statweek = 18
| statlabel1 = Total tackles
| statvalue1 = 424
| statlabel2 = Sacks
| statvalue2 = 5.5
| statlabel3 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue3 = 5
| statlabel4 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue4 = 2
| statlabel5 = Pass deflections
| statvalue5 = 14
| statlabel6 = Interceptions
| statvalue6 = 4
| statlabel7 = Defensive touchdowns
| statvalue7 =
| pfr = T/TavaJa00
}}
Jahlani Karl Tavai (born September 28, 1996) is an American professional football linebacker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He is the younger brother of J. R. Tavai and older brother of Justus Tavai. He played college football for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors.{{Cite web|url=https://www.khon2.com/gobows/former-bows-linebacker-jahlani-tavai-records-first-career-sack-in-detroit-lions-debut/|title=Former 'Bows linebacker Jahlani Tavai records first career sack in Detroit Lions debut|agency=Associated Press|date=September 9, 2019|website=KHON-TV|language=en-US|access-date=September 19, 2019}}
College career
= College statistics =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" | ||||||||||||||||
| ! colspan="18" style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Hawaii Rainbow Warriors}}"|Hawaii Rainbow Warriors | ||||||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"| Season
! colspan="2"| Games ! colspan="5" |Tackles ! colspan="5" |Interceptions ! colspan="4" |Fumbles | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Solo | Ast | Total | Loss | Sack | Int | Yards | Avg | TD | PD | FR | Yards | TD | FF | |
| 2014
| colspan="16" |File:Redshirt.svg Redshirt | ||||||||||||||||
| 2015
| 13 || 11 || 26 || 30 || 56 || 5.0 || 3.0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2016
| 14 || 14 || 85 || 43 || 128 || 20.0 || 7.0 || 1 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 2 || 2 || 12 || 0 || 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2017
| 12 || 12 || 66 || 58 || 124 || 11.0 || 5.5 || 1 || 8 || 8.0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 15 || 0 || 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2018
| 8 || 8 || 42 || 40 || 82 || 6.0 || 2.0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Career{{Cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/jahlani-tavai-1.html|title=Jahlani Tavai College Stats|website=Sports Reference|language=en|access-date=June 3, 2019}} | 47 | 45 | 219 | 171 | 390 | 42.0 | 17.5 | 2 | 8 | 4.0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 27 | 0 | 3 |
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 2 3/8
| weight = 250
| dash = 4.86
| ten split = 1.70
| twenty split = 2.79
| shuttle = 4.41
| vertical = 33.5
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 2
| arm span = 31 7/8
| hand span = 9
| wonderlic =
| note = All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/jahlani-tavai/32005441-5638-0238-d6cc-25aa17b18c0d |title=Jahlani Tavai Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=December 11, 2022}}{{Cite web |url=http://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=132559&DraftYear=2019 |title=2019 Draft Scout Jahlani Tavai, Hawaii NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile |website=draftscout.com |access-date=December 11, 2022}}
}}
=Detroit Lions=
Tavai was selected by the Detroit Lions in the second round (43rd overall) of the 2019 NFL draft.{{cite news|url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/04/26/detroit-lions-jahlani-tavai-2019-nfl-draft/3590508002/|title=Detroit Lions take Hawaii LB Jahlani Tavai in Round 2 of 2019 NFL draft|last=Birkett|first=Dave|date=April 26, 2019|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|access-date=April 26, 2019|publisher=Gannett}} He played in 15 games in six starts, recording 58 tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble, two passes defensed and an interception. He suffered a shoulder injury in Week 16 and was placed on injured reserve on December 23, 2019.{{Cite web |last=Birkett |first=Dave |date=December 23, 2019 |title=Detroit Lions place rookie LB Jahlani Tavai (shoulder) on injured reserve |url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/12/23/detroit-lions-jahlani-tavai-shoulder-injured-reserve/2736860001/ |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=Detroit Free Press}}
On August 31, 2021, Tavai was waived by the Lions as part of the final pre-season roster cuts.{{cite web|title=Lions announce roster moves|url=https://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-announce-roster-moves-x2196|website=DetroitLions.com|date=August 31, 2021}}
=New England Patriots=
After being released by Detroit, on September 1, 2021, the New England Patriots signed Tavai to their practice squad, eventually activating him, while reuniting with Matt Patricia, his former head coach in Detroit.{{Cite web|title=Report: Patriots adding ex-Lions LB to practice squad|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/patriots/nfl-rumors-patriots-sign-ex-lions-lb-jahlani-tavai-practice-squad|access-date=2021-09-03|website=RSN|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2021-09-01|title=Lions waive former University of Hawaii star and second-round pick LB Jahlani Tavai|url=https://www.staradvertiser.com/2021/08/31/sports/sports-breaking/lions-waive-former-uh-star-and-second-round-pick-lb-jahlani-tavai/|access-date=2021-09-03|website=Honolulu Star-Advertiser|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2021-09-01|title=Yep, ex-Lions LB Jahlani Tavai really is signing with New England's practice squad|url=https://www.mlive.com/lions/2021/09/yep-ex-lions-lb-jahlani-tavai-really-is-signing-with-new-englands-practice-squad.html|access-date=2021-09-03|website=mlive|language=en}} He was promoted to the active roster on October 13.{{cite web|title=Patriots sign linebacker Jahlani Tavai to the 53-man roster from the practice squad; Sign defensive back Sean Davis to the practice squad|url=https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-sign-linebacker-jahlani-tavai-to-the-53-man-roster-from-the-practice-sq|website=Patriots.com|date=October 13, 2021}}
Tavai began the 2022 season as a backup linebacker. He was named a starter in Week 5 and remained there the rest of the season. On November 29, 2022, Tavai signed a two-year, $4.4 million contract extension with the Patriots.{{cite web|title=Patriots, Jahlani Tavai agree to two-year contract extension|url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/29/patriots-jahlani-tavai-agree-to-two-year-contract-extension/|author=Smith, Michael David|work=Pro Football Talk|publisher=NBC Sports|date=November 29, 2022}} He finished the season with 69 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two passes defensed.
On July 2, 2024, Tavai signed a three-year contract extension with the Patriots worth $15 million.{{Cite web |last=Dussault |first=Mike |date=July 2, 2024 |title=Report: Patriots Extend Linebacker Jahlani Tavai |url=https://www.patriots.com/news/report-patriots-extend-linebacker-jahlani-tavai |access-date=2024-07-03 |website=Patriots.com |language=en-US}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.patriots.com/team/players-roster/jahlani-tavai/ New England Patriots bio]
- [https://hawaiiathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=17499 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors bio]
{{Lions2019DraftPicks}}
{{New England Patriots roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tavai, Jahlani}}
Category:American football linebackers
Category:Detroit Lions players
Category:Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football players
Category:Mira Costa High School alumni
Category:New England Patriots players
Category:Players of American football from Inglewood, California
{{linebacker-1990s-stub}}
Category:Pacific Islander American players of American football