Sports Talk: 2023 NFL Draft Pasifika Edition
The 2023 NFL draft went down this weekend from the 28th - 30th April NZT and it was a historic weekend for Pasifika players with ten players of Pasifika heritage drafted into the National Football League. Check out all of their profiles below -
Keilani Mayo and Queenie Taua'a are Digital Content creators for Island City Media Group in the USA and joined Penina at the beginning of the weekend to help break down the 2023 NFL draft.
This year looked to have had the largest group of Pasifika athletes who declared for the draft (peep the list in Polynesian Music X Island City's post below) so the ladies gave us their mock drafts on who they think may get picked up in the first 3 rounds, their tips for watching & what happens to players who don't get picked up in the draft ... is there still hope?
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The 2023 NFL draft has now finished and you can check out the players of Pasifika heritage below who were picked up in this years draft. We'll continue to update our list below as other players are signed Undrafted Free Agents.
The first Pasifika player to be picked ...
TULI TUIPULOTU
Tongan
The Chargers selected USC edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu in the 2nd round (No. 54 overall).
A unanimous All-American in 2022, Tuipulotu was the 2022 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and was also the 2022 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year
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MARTE MAPU
Samoan
The New England Patriots selected Sacramento State Hornets linebacker Marte Mapu in Round 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft with the No. 76 overall pick
A hybrid safety/linebacker with intriguing versatility, Mapu reportedly has a big fan in Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
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SIAKI IKA
Tongan
The Cleveland Browns selected Defensive Tackle Siaki Ika with the 98th overall pick in the third round.
Ika tallied 49 tackles and 4.5 over his final two seasons at Baylor — all 4.5 sacks were recorded in 2021. He was a first team All-Big 12 selection last season, when he was a team captain for the Bears.
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CAMERON LATU
Tongan
The San Francisco 49ers selected Cameron Latu in the 3rd round with pick no. 101
San Francisco hosted Latu for a top-30 visit prior to the draft, and the Niners were clearly suitably impressed by a player who averaged 14.1 yards per reception in his college career, scoring eight touchdowns in 2021 and four in 2022.
VILIAMI JUNIOR FEHOKO
Tongan
The Dallas Cowboys selected defensive lineman Viliami 'Junior' Fehoko out of San Jose State with pick No. 129 overall in the fourth round.
He's cousins with defensive superstar Vita Vea and the edge rusher recorded 23 sacks in his 45-game college career, including an impressive nine in his final season. Fehoko also added an extremely impressive 19 tackles for loss, showing his ability to make consistent plays in the backfield.
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ATONIO MAFI
Tongan
UCLA Guard Atonio Mafi was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fifth round with the 144th overall pick.
The Patriots are no strangers to Mafi after coaching him at the East-West Shrine Bowl. Standing at 6-foot-3, 329 pounds, he started his career on defense before making the move to the other side of the ball in 2020. He was named second-team All-Pac-12 for his senior year performance.
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NOAH SEWELL
Samoan
The Chicago Bears selected Oregon Linebacker Noah Sewell in the 5th round with the 148th pick overall
Sewell is a 2022 second-team All-Pac-12 selection after racking up 56 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss for the Ducks a year ago. He's the younger brother of Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell.
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HENRY TO'OTO'O
Samoan/Tongan
With the 167th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Texans select Alabama Linebacker Henry To'oTo'o.
The dynamic linebacker stood out at Tennessee before moving to Alabama and thriving in Nick Saban's defensive scheme. Now he will play under Head Coach DeMeco Ryans, who was also a standout linebacker at Alabama before he was selected by the Texans in the 2006 NFL Draft.
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MAKEA 'PUKA' NACUA
Samoan
The Los Angeles Rams have picked up their fourth offensive player by selecting BYU wide receiver Puka Nacua with the No.177 overall pick in the fifth round.
Nacua collected 48 receptions for 625 yards and five touchdowns while starting seven of nine games played for the Cougars in 2022. Perhaps also of value given how Los Angeles uses its receivers, he also had 25 carries for 209 yards and five touchdowns.
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MALAESALA AUMAVAE-LAULU
Samoan
With the No. 199 pick in the 6th round, the Baltimore Ravens selected Oregon offensive lineman Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu.
He is described as an imposing tackle who could project as a guard at the pro level and graded out as a strong run blocker in both gap and zone schemes.
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PLAYERS SIGNED AS UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS:
USC's Defensive Linebacker BRANDON PILI has signed with the Miami Dolphins as an UDFA
Samoan
Auburn's Outside Linebacker EKU LEOTA has signed with the Carolina Panthers as an UDFA
Samoan
San Diego State Centre ALAMA 'ULU'AVE has signed with the Miami Dolphins as an UDFA
Tongan
San Diego State Defensive Tackle JONAH TAVAI has signed with the Seattle Seahawks as an UDFA
Samoan
Illinois State Football Tight End TANNER TAULA has signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an UDFA
Samoan
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Hosted by Penina Momoiseā with guests Keilani Mayo and Queenie Taua'a
Edited by Sefa Taouma
Public Interest Journalism funded by NZ on Air