Jahlani Tavai

Last updated

Jahlani Tavai
2017-0725-MWMD-JahlaniTavai.png
Tavai at 2017 Mountain West media day
No. 48 – New England Patriots
Position: Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1996-09-28) September 28, 1996 (age 28)
Inglewood, California, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:255 lb (116 kg)
Career information
High school: Mira Costa (CA)
College: Hawaii (2014–2018)
NFL draft: 2019  / round: 2 / pick: 43
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
  • First-team All-Mountain West (2016)
  • Second-team All-Mountain West (2017)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 18, 2024
Total tackles:424
Sacks:5.5
Forced fumbles:5
Fumble recoveries:2
Pass deflections:14
Interceptions:4
Stats at Pro Football Reference

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 at Hawaii. [1]

Contents

College career

College statistics

Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
SeasonGamesTacklesInterceptionsFumbles
GPGSSoloAstTotalLossSackIntYardsAvgTDPDFRYardsTDFF
2014 Redshirt.svg Redshirt
2015 13112630565.03.0000.0000000
2016 1414854312820.07.0100.00221202
2017 1212665812411.05.5188.00111500
2018 884240826.02.0000.0020001
Career [2] 474521917139042.017.5284.00532703

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Vertical jump Broad jump
6 ft 2+3⁄8 in
(1.89 m)		250 lb
(113 kg)		31+7⁄8 in
(0.81 m)		9 in
(0.23 m)		4.86 s1.70 s2.79 s4.41 s33.5 in
(0.85 m)		9 ft 2 in
(2.79 m)
All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day [3] [4]

Detroit Lions

Tavai was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the second round (43rd overall) of the 2019 NFL draft. [5] 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. [6]

On August 31, 2021, Tavai was waived by the Lions as part of the final pre-season roster cuts. [7]

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. [8] [9] [10] He was promoted to the active roster on October 13. [11]

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. [12] 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. [13]

Related Research Articles

Tyrone McKenzie is an American football coach and former linebacker. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2009 NFL draft. He debuted for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2010 and also played for the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football at South Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zaviar Gooden</span> American football player (born 1990)

Zaviar Gooden is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the third round of the 2013 NFL draft. He played college football for the Missouri Tigers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon Copeland (linebacker)</span> American football player (born 1991)

Brandon Matthew Copeland is an American former football linebacker who played 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2013 and also played for the Tennessee Titans, Detroit Lions, New York Jets, New England Patriots, and Atlanta Falcons. He played college football at the University of Pennsylvania.

Deon L. Lacey is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at the University of West Alabama. He has been a member of the Dallas Cowboys, Edmonton Eskimos / Elks, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Malik Terrell Jefferson is an American professional football linebacker. He played college football at Texas. As a senior at Poteet High School in Mesquite, Texas, Jefferson won the 2014 Butkus Award given to the best linebacker in high school. He has been a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers, and Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. R. Tavai</span> American gridiron football player (born 1993)

John Robert Tavai is a professional gridiron football linebacker, who currently plays for the Helvetic Guards in the European League of Football. He played college football at Southern California. He was signed by Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He has also been a member of the Ottawa Redblacks, BC Lions and Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL)

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Cabinda</span> American football player (born 1996)

Jason W. Cabinda is an American professional football fullback. He played college football at Penn State and signed with the Oakland Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He attended Hunterdon Central Regional High School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Snyder</span> American football player (born 1992)

Kevin Snyder is an American former professional football linebacker. He played college football at Rutgers.

Trevor Bates is a former American football linebacker. He played college football for Maine, and was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 2016 NFL draft. He won Super Bowl LI with the New England Patriots, beating the Atlanta Falcons.

Jarrad Davis is an American professional football linebacker. He played college football at Florida and was selected by the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft.

Nicholas Mario Grigsby is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Pittsburgh. Grigsby was signed by the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2016. He was also a member of the Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, St. Louis Battlehawks and Ottawa Redblacks.

Christian C. Sam is an American professional football linebacker. He played college football at Arizona State, in 2017 leading the Pac-12 with 127 tackles, while also leading the Pac-12 with 87 solo tackles. He has been a member of the New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Bandits, New Orleans Breakers, and Arlington Renegades.

Johnathan Bandavious Atkins is an American football nose tackle for the Memphis Showboats of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football at Georgia, and has been a member of the New England Patriots, Detroit Lions, and Atlanta Falcons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trent Harris (American football)</span> American football player (born 1995)

Trent Harris is an American former professional football linebacker who is the assistant outside linebackers coach for the Illinois Fighting Illini. He played college football for Miami. He signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2018.

Julian Okwara is a Nigerian professional American football linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and was selected by the Detroit Lions in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft.

Anthony J. Pittman is an American professional football linebacker of the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wayne State Warriors and signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2019.

Rashod Berry is an American football linebacker for the San Antonio Brahmas of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football for Ohio State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cameron McGrone</span> American football player (born 2000)

Cameron McGrone is an American professional football linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines, and was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL draft.

James Houston IV is an American professional football linebacker for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida before transferring to Jackson State.

Justus Tavai is an American football defensive tackle who is a free agent. He was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent after the 2023 NFL draft. He played college football at El Camino, Hawaii and San Diego State.

References

  1. ↑ "Former 'Bows linebacker Jahlani Tavai records first career sack in Detroit Lions debut". KHON-TV . Associated Press. September 9, 2019. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Jahlani Tavai College Stats". Sports Reference . Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Jahlani Tavai Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  4. ↑ "2019 Draft Scout Jahlani Tavai, Hawaii NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile". draftscout.com. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  5. ↑ Birkett, Dave (April 26, 2019). "Detroit Lions take Hawaii LB Jahlani Tavai in Round 2 of 2019 NFL draft". Detroit Free Press . Gannett . Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  6. ↑ Birkett, Dave (December 23, 2019). "Detroit Lions place rookie LB Jahlani Tavai (shoulder) on injured reserve". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Lions announce roster moves". DetroitLions.com. August 31, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Report: Patriots adding ex-Lions LB to practice squad". RSN. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Lions waive former University of Hawaii star and second-round pick LB Jahlani Tavai". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. September 1, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Yep, ex-Lions LB Jahlani Tavai really is signing with New England's practice squad". mlive. September 1, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Patriots sign linebacker Jahlani Tavai to the 53-man roster from the practice squad; Sign defensive back Sean Davis to the practice squad". Patriots.com. October 13, 2021.
  12. ↑ Smith, Michael David (November 29, 2022). "Patriots, Jahlani Tavai agree to two-year contract extension". Pro Football Talk. NBC Sports.
  13. ↑ Dussault, Mike (July 2, 2024). "Report: Patriots Extend Linebacker Jahlani Tavai". Patriots.com. Retrieved July 3, 2024.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.