Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | L 14-16@ Washington | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Total | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#51
Ta'Avili Tuitama
Senior defensive tackle on Utah State's 2026 roster.
6′1″ · 310 lb · Mapusaga
CFB Index 30 · #326 of 420 edge rushersLow confidenceIn transfer portal — destination TBD (from New Mexico State)
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
0
sacks · 2026
1 tackles
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 tackles, at Washington
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive tackle on Utah State's 2026 roster.
- Signed with New Mexico State in 2024.
Ta'Avili Tuitama
Wins his gap play after play. Ta'Avili Tuitama has played for two head coaches across three seasons and two programs. The receipt on tape: 1 tackles against Washington, Week 2, 2026.
1 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2024
- Signed with New Mexico Stateout of Snow College
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coaches2024
Nate Dreiling
Utah State
Coaching transition mid-career: Nate Dreiling → Bronco Mendenhall. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
In Portal · 2026
In transfer portal
2025New Mexico State
DestinationTBD
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024New Mexico State3-9HC: Tony Sanchez · Run-heavy
2025New Mexico State4-8HC: Tony Sanchez · Pass-leaning
2026Utah State0-2HC: Bronco Mendenhall · Balanced, fast tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 1.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Bronco Mendenhall
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
30 · #326 of 420 edge rushers
Unranked recruit. Now #326 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Utah State | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | New Mexico State | 19 | 6 | 4.0 | 2.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | New Mexico State | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 22 | 9 | 4.0 | 2.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Two-Gap Base
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
IDL
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Billy Wooden’s 2023 season.
88%match
Matches Billy on
Weight
Sack rate
Hurry rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Anthony Holmes Jr.'s sophomore season at Houston (2023).
85%match
Matches Anthony on
Hurry rate
Weight
TFL rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Ta'Avili Tuitama
The defensive line · Utah State
- #9Tyree Morris5.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #28Carson Tujague4 tackles for loss · 2025
- #51Ta'Avili Tuitama4 tackles for loss · 2025
- #10Gabriel Iniguez Jr.1.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #44Bo Maile1 tackle for loss · 2025
11 more on the roster · Utah State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology