UTAH: Second-team All-Pac-12 offensive lineman as a senior … four-year starting guard played in all 52 games in his career with 38 starts (right guard from 2014-16, left guard in 2017).
2017–Second-team All-Pac-12 … started all 13 games at left guard … 814 total snaps ranked fourth on the offensive line (stats were not kept for the last two games) … second on the team with five cuts … season-high 84 snaps against Washington State.
2016–Started all 13 games at right guard … led Utah’s offensive line in regular-season plays with 936 (stats were not kept for the Foster Farms Bowl) … two cuts.
2015–Played in all 13 games and started seven at right guard … played 518 snaps along the offensive line in 11 games (stats were not kept for the Colorado and BYU games) … played all 72 snaps vs. Michigan and Washington … two cuts against Washington.
2014–Played in all 13 games with five starts at right guard … took part in 397 plays in the regular season (stats were not kept for the Las Vegas Bowl) … finished with two cuts … also played on special teams … honorable mention Academic All-Pac-12 Conference.
2013–Redshirt.
HIGH SCHOOL: First-team 2012 6-5A all-district … named to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Super Team (first team) and the Tarrant County Terrific 25 … as a senior, he did not allow a sack and had 42 pancakes and 117 knockdowns … Trinity HS went 7-0 in league play in 2012 and won the District 6-5A championship.
PERSONAL: Son of Salesi Uhatafe Sr. and Paea Latu … only child … first cousin Jon Halapio played at Florida … bachelor’s degree in sociology … full name is Salesi Siaosi-Lofakaitamaki Uhatafe (pronounced sah-less-ee oo-ha-tah-feh) … nickname is Leka (pronounced lekka), but he prefers Salesi for public use.
Salesi “Leka” Uhatafe (pronounced sah-less-ee lekka oo-ha-tah-feh) suffered a terrible tragedy in July 2013 when he fell asleep behind the wheel of a car heading 1,200 miles from Salt Lake City to Texas. He lost both of his brothers and a good friend, fellow Utah football player Gaius Vaenuku, while he and his father survived.
Uhatafe redshirted the season following the accident and then earned a starting role at right guard for five of 13 games played in 2014. He played in all 13 games as a sophomore, starting seven times at that right guard spot.
Uhatafe finally locked down the lead role for all 13 games in 2016, displaying a combination of size, athleticism, and toughness that NFL scouts desire for a next–level starter. Those traits came through in 2017, as Uhatafe was voted second-team All-Pac-12 by league coaches after starting all 13 games at left guard.
Offensive guard Salesi Uhatafe (https://247sports.com/Player/Salesi-Uhatafe-24819),
who most recently played for the Salt Lake Stallions, was a four-year starter for the Utah Utes following a redshirt freshman year, but Uhatafe hasn’t had much NFL experience. He went undrafted in 2018, and the Atlanta Falcons signed him as a free agent, but later cut him. He was also briefly on the Detroit Lions’ and Jacksonville Jaguars (https://www.bigcatcountry.com/)’
practice squads, according to ProFootballTalk (Washington signs former AAF guard Salesi Uhatafe - ProFootballTalk
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Washington signs former AAF guard Salesi Uhatafe - ProFootballTalk
Washington has added a second former AAF player to its 90-man roster.Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the team has signed guard Salesi Uhatafe. They signed defensive lineman Andrew Ankrah last week.Uhatafe played for the Utah Stallions in the A |
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“ His greatest strength is blocking at the second level. He is able to work up past the initial double team with the center or tackle and move up to the linebacker very well. He makes the block on the linebacker and creates space and time for the running back to get past the second level of defenders, helping turn a 2-3 yard gain a 6-8 yard gain.
”
At Utah, he played in 52 games and 38 starts. In 2017, after starting all 13 games at left guard, he was given a second-team All-Pac 12 selection by the league’s coaches.
Here’s James FitzGerald’s analysis of Uhatafe’s film:
Film Watched: Salt Lake Stallions v. San Diego Fleet and v. Orlando Apollos
Uhatafe has good hands in pass protection. He punches quickly enough and with enough force to stop a pass rusher either from a defensive tackle or linebacker. He also has a great base in his pass set which allows him to block anyone who rushes against him.
His greatest strength is blocking at the second level. He is able to work up past the initial double team with the center or tackle and move up to the linebacker very well. He makes the block on the linebacker and creates space and time for the running back to get past the second level of defenders, helping turn a 2-3 yard gain into a 6-8 yard gain.
I also noticed that he gets down field during screen p
lays with a sense of urgency. It may be by design, but he is the first blocker downfield to make a block on a screen pass. He does this so urgently he got called for being an ineligible receiver down field against the Fleet on one screen play.
Bio from the Jags:
Uhatafe originally signed as an undrafted rookie with Atlanta on May 3, 2018, and had a stint on Detroit’s practice squad. He played collegiately at Utah and appeared in 52 games with 38 starts. In 2017, after starting all 13 games at left guard, he was named a second-team All-Pac 12 selection by the league’s coaches. His name is pronounced LEKKA OO-ha-tah-feh.
