Jonah Tavai
{{Short description|American gridiron football player (born 2000)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{notability|1=Biographies|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Jonah Tavai
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_team = BC Lions
| number = 99
| position = Defensive end
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|12|13}}
| birth_place = Inglewood, California, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 10
| weight_lb = 283
| high_school = Mira Costa
(Manhattan Beach, California)
| college = San Diego State (2019–2023)
| undraftedyear = 2023
| pastteams =
- Seattle Seahawks ({{NFL Year|2023}})*
- BC Lions ({{CFL Year|2024}}–present)
| status = Active
| cflstatus = American
| highlights =
- First team All-Mountain West (2022)
| cfl = jonah-tavai
| pfr = TavaJo00
}}
Jonah Tavai (born December 13, 2000) is an American professional football defensive end for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at San Diego State.
Early life
Tavai grew up in Manhattan Beach, California and graduated from Mira Costa High School, as did his older brothers J. R. Tavai, Jahlani Tavai, and Justus Tavai.{{Cite web |last=Ingram |first=Nick |date=2017-11-16 |title=Jonah Tavai carries on family tradition on Mira Costa football team |url=https://www.dailybreeze.com/2017/11/15/jonah-tavai-carries-on-family-tradition-on-mira-costa-football-team/ |access-date=2023-12-08 |website=Daily Breeze}} He committed to San Diego State to play football on February 6, 2019.{{cite web |title=Jonah Tavai, San Diego State, Defensive Line |url=https://247sports.com/player/jonah-tavai-90161/ |website=247Sports |access-date=11 April 2023}}
College career
In his collegiate career he totaled 148 tackles, 37 going for a loss of yardage, 25 sacks, a pass deflection, and one forced fumble.{{cite web |title=Jonah Tavai |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/jonah-tavai-1.html |website=Sports Reference |access-date=11 April 2023}} His best collegiate year occurred during the 2022 season where he put up, 59 tackles, 14 going for loss, and 10.5 sacks. For his performance he was named to the first team, All-Mountain West.{{cite web |title=2022 San Diego State Aztecs Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/san-diego-state/2022.html |website=Sports Reference |access-date=11 April 2023}}{{cite web |title=Mountain West Announces 2022 Football All-Conference Teams and Individual Honors |url=https://themw.com/news/2022/11/29/athlete-awards-mountain-west-announces-2022-football-all-conference-teams-and-individual-honors.aspx |website=The Mountain West |access-date=11 April 2023}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 10 1/8
| weight = 283
| dash = 5.06
| ten split = 1.75
| twenty split = 2.92
| shuttle = 4.70
| cone drill = 7.65
| vertical = 26.5
| broad ft = 8
| broad in = 9
| bench = 29
| arm span = 29 1/2
| hand span = 9
| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1048444&DraftYear=2023 |title=2023 NFL Draft Scout Jonah Tavai College Football Profile |access-date=May 19, 2023 |website=DraftScout.com}}{{Cite web |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10072176-jonah-tavai-nfl-draft-2023-scouting-report-for-san-diego-state-dl |title=Jonah Tavai NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for San Diego State DL |access-date=May 19, 2023 |website=BleacherReport.com}}
}}
= Seattle Seahawks =
After not being selected in the 2023 NFL draft, Tavai was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent.{{cite news|title=Seahawks Sign 25 Undrafted Free Agents, Six 2023 Draft Picks|url=https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-sign-25-undrafted-free-agents-six-2023-draft-picks|website=Seahawks.com|date=May 12, 2023}} He was waived with a non-football injury designation on July 26, 2023.{{cite news|title=Seahawks Sign CB Andrew Whitaker, CB Chris Steele and OLB Levi Bell|url=https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-sign-cb-andrew-whitaker-cb-chris-steele-and-olb-levi-bell|website=Seahawks.com|date=July 26, 2023}}
= BC Lions =
On January 19, 2024, Tavai signed with the BC Lions.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-19 |title=Lions Add Americans Jonah Tavai & Chris Cooper To Defence |url=https://www.bclions.com/2024/01/19/lions-add-americandl-tavai-db-chris-cooper-to-roster/ |access-date=2024-02-24 |work=BC Lions}} On June 2, 2024, Tavai was re-assigned to the practice squad.{{Cite web |title=BC Lions Transactions |url=https://www.bclions.com/transactions/ |access-date=2024-06-02 |work=BC Lions}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.bclions.com/players/jonah-tavai/ BC Lions bio]
- [https://goaztecs.com/sports/football/roster/jonah-tavai/7692 San Diego State Aztecs bio]
{{BC Lions roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tavai, Jonah}}
Category:Players of American football from Inglewood, California
Category:American football defensive tackles
Category:Mira Costa High School alumni
Category:San Diego State Aztecs football players
Category:Seattle Seahawks players
Category:Sportspeople from Manhattan Beach, California
Category:Canadian football defensive linemen
Category:Players of Canadian football from California
Category:Pacific Islander American players of American football