Taniela Latu
Taniela Latu
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage. Taniela Latu has played for two head coaches in three seasons at San José State. The receipt on tape: 9 tackles against Utah State, Week 8, 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: Brent Brennan → Ken Niumatalolo. 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
Ken Niumatalolo
Awards
Player Standing · 17 rungs
Tier 2 · StarterR05 · Part-time starter
Part-time starter. Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | San José State | 65 | 36 | 6.0 | 1.0 | 3 | 1 | -- |
| 2024 | San José State | 71 | 31 | 7.0 | 1.0 | 2 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | San José State | 44 | 20 | 5.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 180 | 87 | 18.0 | 2.0 | 5 | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 4 · 2025
W 31–28
vs Idaho
5 TOT · 2 SOLO · 1 QB HUR
Edged out Idaho at home in a shootout.
How he plays
Play style
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
San José State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · San José State
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: +1 net (17 in / 16 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
San José State · Last season: 3-9 · Talent rank #109 · 2026 recruiting class #129
DNA match
Player DNA
Coverage 'Backer
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Connor Shay’s 2024 season.
Matches Connor on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Steele Chambers's junior season at Ohio State (2022).
Matches Steele on