Malachi Finau
Malachi Finau
Disrupts the pocket from the interior. Across three seasons and two programs, two head coaches: Timmy Chang and Sean Lewis. One game to point at: 4 tackles against Wyoming — Week 10, 2025.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
Career Arc
Coaching Lineage · 2023–2025
2 coachesCoaching transition mid-career: Brady Hoke → Sean Lewis. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2025 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
Splits & context
Supporting Cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Sean Lewis
Awards
Player Standing · 17 rungs
Tier 1 · 2-deepR04 · Rotational
Rotational. Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | San Diego State | 18 | 3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Hawai'i | 19 | 10 | 3.5 | 3.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Hawai'i | 4 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| Career | 41 | 14 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 12 · 2025
W 17–7
vs Boise State
1 TOT
How he plays
Play style
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
San Diego State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive line · San Diego State
Returning around him
- 1 San Diego State player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +0 net (26 in / 26 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
San Diego State · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #86 · 2026 recruiting class #83
DNA match
Player DNA
3-Tech Penetrator
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Austin Ertl’s 2023 season.
Matches Austin on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Davonte Miles's junior season at Bowling Green (2024).
Matches Davonte on
Differs from Davonte on