Talanoa Hufanga

Last updated

Talanoa Hufanga
No. 29 – San Francisco 49ers
Position: Safety
Personal information
Born: (2000-02-01) February 1, 2000 (age 24)
Corvallis, Oregon, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High school: Crescent Valley (Corvallis, Oregon)
College: USC (2018–2020)
NFL draft: 2021  / Round: 5 / Pick: 180
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2023
Total tackles:181
Sacks:2.0
Forced fumbles:2
Forced fumbles:2
Pass deflections:14
Interceptions:7
Defensive touchdowns:1
Player stats at NFL.com  ·  PFR

Talanoa Hufanga (born February 1, 2000) is an American football safety for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at USC and was drafted by the 49ers in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL draft.

Contents

Early years

Hufanga attended Crescent Valley High School in Corvallis, Oregon. [1] He played safety, wide receiver, and quarterback. As a senior in 2017, he was the Polynesian High School National Player of the Year. He played in the 2018 U.S. Army All-American Game. [2] Hufanga committed to the University of Southern California (USC) to play college football. [3] [4] [5]

College career

As a true freshman at USC in 2018, Hufanga played in eight games with five starts before suffering a season-ending broken collarbone. [6] He finished the season with 51 tackles. As a sophomore in 2019, he started all 10 games he played in and recorded 90 tackles and 3.5 sacks. [7] Hufanga returned to USC as a starter his junior year in 2020. [8] [9] He and BYU quarterback Zach Wilson were selected as co-recipients of the 2020 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award. [10] For the 2020 season, Hufanga was a Consensus All-American. [11] In addition, he won Pac-12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year. [12]

College statistics

YearGTacklesInterceptionsFumbles
SoloAstTotLossSkIntYdsAvgPDFF
201883120513.50.0000.040
2019105832907.53.5000.032
202064022625.53.049022.512
Career 241297420316.56.549022.584

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 0+3⁄8 in
(1.84 m)		199 lb
(90 kg)		32 in
(0.81 m)		9+7⁄8 in
(0.25 m)		4.64 s1.63 s2.65 s4.39 s6.96 s35.5 in
(0.90 m)		10 ft 8 in
(3.25 m)		12 reps
All values from Pro Day [13] [14]

Hufanga was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fifth round, 180th overall, of the 2021 NFL draft. [15] He signed his four-year rookie contract on May 13, 2021. [16]

During his rookie campaign, Hufanga appeared in 15 games and made three starts. [17] In the Divisional Round of the playoffs against the Green Bay Packers, he recovered and returned a blocked punt for a critical touchdown which eventually set up a 13–10 victory for the 49ers. [18] [19]

In Week 4 of the 2022 season, against the Los Angeles Rams, he had 52-yard pick six in the 24–9 victory. [20] He started in all 17 regular season games and all three playoff games for the 49ers in the 2022 season. He had 97 total tackles, four interceptions, nine passes defended, and two forced fumbles. [21] He earned a Pro Bowl nomination and first team All-Pro honors. [22] [23] He was ranked 78th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2023. [24]

In Week 11 of the 2023 season, Hufanga suffered a torn ACL and was placed on injured reserve on November 21, 2023. [25] He finished the 2023 season with ten appearances, all of them being starts. [26] Without Hufanga, the 49ers reached Super Bowl LVIII but lost 25–22 to the Kansas City Chiefs.

NFL career statistics

Legend
BoldCareer high

Regular season

YearTeamGamesTacklesInterceptionsFumbles
GPGSCmbSoloAstTfLSckPDIntYdsAvgLngTDFFFRTD
2021 SF 1533224810.01000.000000
2022 SF 171797663152.0946115.352T1200
2023 SF 101052391310.0334816.0280000
Career 42301811295272.014710915.652T1200

Personal life

Hufanga is of Tongan descent. He is the son of Tevita and Tanya Hufanga and has a brother named Terry. [27] [28] Hufanga also trains with Hall of Fame safety Troy Polamalu. [29] [30]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronnie Lott</span> American football player (born 1959)

Ronald Mandel Lott is an American former professional football player in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons during the 1980s and 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anquan Boldin</span> American football player (born 1980)

Anquan Kenmile Boldin Sr. is an American former football wide receiver who played for 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles and was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He also played for the Baltimore Ravens, the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Woods (wide receiver, born 1992)</span> American football player (born 1992)

Robert Thomas Woods is an American football wide receiver for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the USC Trojans, earning consensus All-American honors in 2011. He was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He previously played for the Los Angeles Rams and Tennessee Titans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aldon Smith</span> American football player (born 1989)

Aldon Jacarus Smith is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Missouri Tigers, and was selected by the San Francisco 49ers with the seventh overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Smith was a first-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowl selection with the 49ers in 2012. He also played for the Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Garoppolo</span> American football player (born 1991)

James Richard Garoppolo, nicknamed "Jimmy G", is an American football quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Eastern Illinois Panthers, setting multiple school records for career passing yards and passing touchdowns and winning the Walter Payton Award as a senior. Garoppolo was selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft by the New England Patriots, where he spent his first four seasons as Tom Brady's backup and was a member of two Super Bowl-winning teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Jones (defensive tackle, born 1994)</span> American football player (born 1994)

Christopher Deshun Jones is an American football defensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Mississippi State Bulldogs, and was selected by the Chiefs in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft. Jones is a three-time Super Bowl champion, a five-time All-Pro member, and has been named a Pro Bowler on five occasions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronald Jones II</span> American football player (born 1987)

Ronald Jones II is an American football running back who is a free agent. He played college football at USC, where he finished his college career with over 3,600 rushing yards over three seasons before being selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taylor Rapp</span> American football player (born 1997)

Taylor Michael Rapp is an American football safety for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Washington, and was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

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

Jordan Johnathan Willis is an American football defensive end who is a free agent. He played college football at Kansas State and was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He has also been a member of the New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints.

The 2018 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They played their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and competed as members of the South Division of the Pac-12 Conference. They were led by third-year head coach Clay Helton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drake Jackson</span> American football player (born 2001)

Drake Jackson is an American football defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at USC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drake London</span> American football player (born 2001)

Drake London is an American football wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at USC and was selected eighth overall by the Falcons in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Marlon Tuipulotu is an American football defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at USC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 USC Trojans football team</span> American college football season

The 2021 USC Trojans football team represents the University of Southern California in the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They play their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and compete as members of the South Division of the Pac-12 Conference. They were led by sixth-year head coach Clay Helton in the first two games; Helton was fired on September 13 following the team's 28–42 loss to Stanford. Associate head coach Donte Williams took over as the team's interim head coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaylen Watson</span> American football player (born 1998)

Jaylen Watson is an American football cornerback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ventura College before transferring to the Washington State Cougars. He was selected by the Chiefs in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Keaontay Ingram is an American football running back for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas and USC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olaijah Griffin</span> American football player (born 1999)

Olaijah Griffin is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He played college football at USC and was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2021.

Tuli Tuipulotu is an American football linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He was named the Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American in 2022. He played college football at USC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ji'Ayir Brown</span> American football player (born 2000)

Ji'Ayir A'Veon Brown is an American football safety for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Lackawanna and Penn State.

The Polynesian Football Player of the Year Award, instituted in 2014 by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame, is given annually to the most outstanding player of Polynesian descent at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of football.

References

  1. ↑ Lundeberg, Bob (August 19, 2017). "Prep football: CV's Hufanga remains hungry, humble". Corvallis Gazette Times. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  2. ↑ Whelan Jr., Tim (October 12, 2017). "Top-rated athlete Talanoa Hufanga first in his school's history to receive Army All-American jersey". USA TODAY High School Sports. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  3. ↑ Nemec, Andrew (December 23, 2017). "Report: Talanoa Hufanga, nation's No. 1 athlete, signs with USC over Oregon, others". OregonLive. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  4. ↑ Lundeberg, Bob (December 28, 2017). "Prep football: CV's Hufanga headed to USC". Corvallis Gazette Times. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  5. ↑ Lundeberg, Bob (December 30, 2017). "Prep football: Hufanga lands with dream school". Corvallis Gazette Times. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  6. ↑ Grosbard, Adam (October 10, 2019). "How Talanoa Hufanga overcame two collarbone breaks to become one of USC's defensive leaders". Orange County Register. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  7. ↑ Nguyen, Thuc Nhi (December 7, 2020). "Talanoa Hufanga a relentless defensive machine in USC's win over Washington State". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  8. ↑ Grosbard, Adam (December 15, 2020). "Talanoa Hufanga peaking at right time for USC defense". Orange County Register. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  9. ↑ Kartje, Ryan (December 10, 2020). "Talanoa Hufanga has become USC's everywhere man on defense". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  10. ↑ Lundquist, Casey (January 12, 2021). "Zach Wilson Named 2020 Polynesian Player of the Year". SI.com. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Consensus All-America Teams (2020-2022)". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Winners". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Talanoa Hufanga Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Talanoa Hufanga, Southern Calofirnia, SS, 2021 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  15. ↑ Posey, Kyle (May 1, 2021). "The 49ers select S Talanoa Hufanga out of USC with Pick No. 180 in the fifth round". Niners Nation. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  16. ↑ Links, Zachary (May 13, 2021). "NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/13/21". Pro Football Rumors. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Talanoa Hufanga 2021 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Divisional Round - San Francisco 49ers at Green Bay Packers - January 22nd, 2022". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  19. ↑ Larrabee, Kirk (January 27, 2022). "Jordan Willis tells the story behind his famous blocked punt -- and why it was such a twist of fate for the 49ers". 49ers Webzone. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers - October 3rd, 2022". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Talanoa Hufanga 2022 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  22. ↑ "2022 NFL Pro Bowlers". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  23. ↑ "2022 NFL All-Pros". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  24. ↑ "2023 NFL Top 100". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  25. ↑ Wagoner, Nick (November 20, 2023). "49ers All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga has torn ACL". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  26. ↑ "Talanoa Hufanga 2023 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  27. ↑ Grosbard, Adam (April 29, 2021). "Talanoa Hufanga's roots in Tonga prepared him for USC and the NFL draft" . Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  28. ↑ Kruse, Ethan (January 8, 2022). "Talanoa Hufanga - Being Present". His Huddle. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  29. ↑ "Hufanga explains why he didn't use social media while at USC". NBC Sports Bay Area & California. December 11, 2022. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  30. ↑ Grosbard, Adam (March 23, 2021). "USC's Talanoa Hufanga training with Troy Polamalu ahead of NFL draft". Orange County Register. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
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.