Senior defensive lineman for USC. 2023: 0.5 sacks, 0.5 tackles for loss, 11 tackles.
6′2″ · 275 lb · Upolu
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.
Recruiting
SDE recruit
No. 129 nationally · Joined Kansas State
No college snaps yet.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive lineman for USC. 2023: 0.5 sacks, 0.5 tackles for loss, 11 tackles.
Tyrone Taleni
Wins his gap play after play. Tyrone Taleni has played for two head coaches across four seasons and two programs. The receipt on tape: 3 tackles against Oregon, Week 11, 2023.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
How it ended
Four seasons at USC, 8 sacks — his college career is complete.
His career
He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
The role got bigger.
Career arc
Coaching lineage · 2020–2023
3 coachesPlayed under 3 different head coaches: Clay Helton, Donte Williams, and Lincoln Riley. Multi-era developmental context.
Season context · Team result + system
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Concern: tackles (5th percentile).
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 · Per-game
2023 season · 6 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home3g | 1.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Road3g | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 2.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Weeks 8+3g | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Lincoln Riley
Pass share
46.0%
97 pass / 114 run
Plays / game
70.3
3 games
Team sack rate
2.0%
102 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Player standing · 2023
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | USC | 11 | 5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2022 | USC | 24 | 11 | 7.5 | 5.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2021 | Kansas State | 4 | 4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2020 | Kansas State | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 40 | 21 | 10.0 | 7.5 | -- | -- | -- |
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 6 · 2023
W 43–41
vs Arizona
3 TOT · 1 SOLO
Edged out Arizona at home in a shootout.
With C. Williams — 219 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 78.3 · 41 rush yds (12 car) · 3 TD · E. Czaplicki — 46 AVG · 1 IN 20 · 55 LONG
Game log · Week-by-week
2023 season · 6 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 5 | W 48-41@ Colorado | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 6 | W 43-41vs Arizona | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 3 tackles |
| Wk 8 | L 32-34vs Utah | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 9 | W 50-49@ California | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 11 | L 27-36@ Oregon | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Bowl | W 42-28vs Louisville | 1 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 11 | 5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | — | 0 |
Play style
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
CFB Index positional classification
Player DNA
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
His 2023 production profile sits closest to Jamie Sheriff’s 2020 season.
Matches Jamie on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Jaques Evans's senior season at Western Kentucky (2023).
Matches Jaques on
Player DNA