NFL Draft Scout
Featured In/On:
Junior Tafuna, DS #3 DT, Utah 
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Name: Junior Tafuna
College: Utah Number: 58
Height: 6-2 Weight: 310
Position: DT Pos2:
Class/Draft Year: rSr/2025
40 Low: 4.93 40 Time: 5.04 40 High: 5.15
> Projected Round: Stock: 
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Height: 6021
Weight: 310
Zybek PD3X AKA "Official"
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Height: 6021
Weight: 310
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Data Scout Notes: 2023: 2ndC...2022: 2ndC...POutland/PNagurski...2021: DROYC
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Junior Tafuna, Utah, Player News
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2022 ALL-PAC-12 CONFERENCE FOOTBALL SECOND TEAM: DL Junior Tafuna, So., Utah,...Has started in all 13 games this season, recording 26 total tackles (2.5 TFL), two quarterback hurries, a pass breakup and one interception...season-high six tackles came vs. Oregon State...recorded his first-career interception against Southern Utah, also grabbing three stops (0.5 TFL)...had two tackles, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry at Oregon...notched five tackles at UCLA. - Utah Football
(DS#3 DT) rSr/2025  DT Junior Tafuna, Utah
News Source: Utah Football
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Though he's only a sophomore, Junior Tafuna is taking on more of a leadership role this season. "I like to play around and have fun," he said. "It's been a humbling experience because I've grown and matured out here on the field. I'm just taking things m ore seriously and it's helped me a lot." What did Tafuna learn from last season and what has he focused on during the offseason? "One thing is preparation. You never know when your number is going to get called. You've got to be prepared. I'm trying to remind myself every day to be prepared because you never know when it's going to be my last down or my last play with my brothers," he said. "One thing specifically I've worked on is being more attentive and smarter on the field. Looking at my keys, look ing at the guard, seeing his eyes, reading the backfield and the tight ends, everything. I've tried to engrain that this fall camp." Defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley is impressed with Tafuna's development over the years. "This is a guy that was playi ng linebacker and D-end in high school. We knew he was twitchy enough. It was a matter of putting on the weight. Our staff does an unbelievable job making sure we're putting on the right weight, not doing it too quick," Scalley said. - Deseret News
(DS#3 DT) rSr/2025 DT Junior Tafuna, Utah
News Source: Deseret News
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2022 PRESEASON OUTLAND TROPHY WATCHLIST: DT Junior Tafuna, Utah,...Tafuna is entering his sophomore season in 2022 after winning Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year last year. He played in 13 games in 2021 with 11 starts, racking up 33 tackles ( 5.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks), a pass breakup and a fumble recovery. The Taylorsville, Utah, native ranked second among freshmen in the Pac-12 in total sacks with his 4.5 throughout the season, also ranking third on the team in quarterback sacks. He recorded a car eer-high nine tackles at Arizona last season, also winning Pac-12 Defensive Lineman of the Week after posting three stops that included 1.5 sacks in Utah's regular season win over Oregon. - Utah Football
(DS#3 DT) rSr/2025 DT Junior Tafuna, Utah
News Source: Utah Football
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2022 PRESEASON BRONKO NAGURSKI TROPHY WATCHLIST: DT Junior Tafuna, Utah,...2021 Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year...2021 AP Pac-12 All-Conference Second Team...13 games played as a Ute, 11 starts...Saw action in 13 games in 2021, starting at l eft tackle in the final 11 contests...Recorded 33 tackles (5.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks) along with a fumble recovery and a pass breakup. - Utah Football
(DS#3 DT) rSr/2025 DT Junior Tafuna, Utah
News Source: Utah Football
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As good as Utah defensive tackle Junior Tafuna was last season as a freshman, the coaching staff is confident that his best is yet to come. A 6-foot-3, 297-pound, three-star recruit out of Bingham High, Tafuna served a mission for The Church of Jesus Chr ist of Latter-day Saints in Praia, Cape Verde, before joining the program in 2020. While Tafuna didn't play that season, in 2021, he recorded 33 tackles, including 4.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup. For his effo rts, he earned Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year honors and Associated Press Pac-12 All-Conference Second-Team recognition."He's a guy that we recruited to be a D-end. He goes on a mission and comes back and he's a little heavier than a regular D-end," said defensive ends coach Lewis Powell. "We move him inside and the twitchiness just continues...He continues to develop. He's going to be special to watch this year, for sure." "This is a guy that was playing linebacker and D-end in hig h school. We knew he was twitchy enough. It was a matter of putting on the weight," he said. "Our staff does an unbelievable job making sure we're putting on the right weight, not doing it too quick. "He's devoted his time during the offseason to putting on the right weight. He's another 15 pounds heavier than he was. He's striking very well. We anticipate him having a very special season." "There's no ceiling with him. He has unbelievable talent. He does some things that some other guys really can't," Elliss said. "He's that explosive and that talented. He has a high ceiling, if there is a ceiling. I think he's going to be even better than he was last year." - Deseret News
(DS#3 DT) rSr/2025 DT Junior Tafuna, Utah
News Source: Deseret News
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2021 PAC-12 DEFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR (COACHES): Junior Tafuna, Utah,...Tafuna emerged as a force at defensive tackle, starting the final 10 games of the season...First Utah player to win this award...Registered 4.5 sacks this season, second most am ong Pac-12 freshmen...Named Pac-12 Defensive Line Player of the Week after Utah's win over Oregon in Salt Lake City...Had career-high nine tackles at Arizona, the most by a Utes defensive lineman since 2018. - Pac-12 Football
(DS#3 DT) rSr/2025 DT Junior Tafuna, Utah
News Source: Pac-12 Football
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