#17

Tra Fluellen

Senior safety for Middle Tennessee. 2023: 3 interceptions, 3 pass breakups, 64 tackles.

S · Middle Tennessee · Sr. · #17

6′2″ · 210 lb · Gilmer, TX

CFB Index 78 · #51 of 538 safetiesMedium confidenceAll-ConferenceMiddle Tennessee 2023 alumnus

Recruiting

2★

S recruit

No. 2779 nationally · Signed with Houston Christian

Statement game16 tackles · 1.5 TFLvs Charlotte (FBS) · W 24-14

Top 0.1% tackles game since 2021.

His career numbers, season by season

The story

4 safety for Middle Tennessee. 2023: 3 interceptions, 3 pass breakups, 64 tackles.

Signed as a 2-star recruit to Houston Christian in 2019.

His career, year by year

How it ended

Three seasons at Middle Tennessee, 191 tackles — his college career is complete.

His career

Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.

2019

Signed with Houston Christian2-star out of Gilmer

202112 games

The role got bigger.

Entered the portal

202212 games

All-Conference USAhonorable_mention

202310 games

All-Conference USAhonorable_mention

Career arc

Recruit

★★

#2779 national

CFB

College

Middle Tennessee

2021–2023

NFL

NFL Draft

—

Not drafted

Trophy case · Confirmed honors

What the selectors said

2 honors · 1 category

🎖

ALL-CONFERENCE USA

All-Conference USA mention (2023)

Coaching lineage · 2021–2023

1 coach

2021–2023

Rick Stockstill

Middle Tennessee

Played his entire career under Rick Stockstill.

2023 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

3 seasons under Rick Stockstill — 19-19 over that span.

2021Middle Tennessee7-6HC: Rick Stockstill · Balanced, fast tempo

2022Middle Tennessee8-5HC: Rick Stockstill · Balanced

2023Middle Tennessee4-8HC: Rick Stockstill · Balanced

Where this defender ranks vs the field

Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort

78All-Conference level #51 of 538?

Medium confidence7 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: solo tackles (92nd percentile). Strength: tackles (89th percentile). Concern: sacks (24th percentile).

Box-score production (7)

Solo tackles#206 / 2842 · 92nd pct

Tackles#297 / 2842 · 89th pct

Interceptions#57 / 827 · 88th pct

Passes defended#512 / 2842 · 78th pct

QB hurries#902 / 2842 · 58th pct

Tackles for loss#1231 / 2842 · 54th pct

2.5

Sacks#1503 / 2842 · 24th pct

0.0

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

2023 season · 10 games

Home/Road · Season halves

Home vs Road

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Home5g	5.4	0.3	0.0	0.4
Road5g	7.4	0.2	0.0	0.2

First half vs Second half

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Weeks 1-77g	6.6	0.4	0.0	0.3
Weeks 8+3g	6.0	0.0	0.0	0.3

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Derek Mason

Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.

Awards

Player standing · 2023

All-Conference

Picked for an all-conference team by at least one selector.

Recognition

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Production · CFB Index Score

78 · #51 of 538 safeties

Two-star recruit. Now #51 at the position.

Career stats

Season	Team
2023	Middle Tennessee	64	41	2.5	0.0	3	3	--
2022	Middle Tennessee	98	54	3.5	0.0	7	2	--
2021	Middle Tennessee	29	15	1.0	1.0	--	--	--
Career		191	110	7.0	1.0	10	5	--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 3 · 2023

W 35–14

vs Murray State

8 TOT · 4 SOLO · 1 TFL

Dominant 21-point win at home against Murray State.

With N. Vattiato — 291 yds · 2 TD · 1 INT · QBR 31.3 · 41 rush yds (8 car) · J. Credle — 132 rush yds (11 car) · 1 TD

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week

2023 season · 10 games

Box score · CFBD

Wk	Opp	TKL	SOLO	TFL	INT	PD	Note
Wk 1	L 7-56@ Alabama	5	4	0.0	—	0
Wk 2	L 19-23@ Missouri	9	6	1.0	—	0	Season-high 9 tackles
Wk 3	W 35-14vs Murray State	8	4	1.0	—	0
Wk 4	L 23-31vs Colorado State	8	5	0.5	—	0
Wk 5	L 10-31@ Western Kentucky	8	6	0.0	1	1
Wk 6	L 30-45vs Jacksonville State	4	2	0.0	—	1
Wk 7	W 31-23vs Louisiana Tech	4	2	0.0	1	0
Wk 8	L 35-42@ Liberty	7	4	0.0	—	0
Wk 10	L 7-13@ New Mexico State	8	6	0.0	1	0
Wk 11	W 40-6vs Florida International	3	2	0.0	—	1
Total		64	41	2.5	3	3

Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology