2019 Football Roster

vs
Wyoming

Sep 20 (Sat)

8:15 p.m.

Jalen Sami celebrates CU fumble recovery
Jalen Sami
Photo by: Tony Harman
jalen sami vs. washington 2019
Photo by: Tim Benko, Benko Photographics
Johnson and Sami
Photo by: DC
jalen sami and terrance lang vs. air force 2019
Photo by: Derek Marckel
jalen sami and nate landman vs. nebraska 2019
Photo by: Tony Harman
jalen sami spring practice 2019
Photo by: Andy Schlichting
Jalen Sami
Jersey Number 99

Jalen Sami

  • Position:
    Defensive Tackle
  • Height:
    6-6
  • Weight:
    320
  • Class:
    Redshirt Freshman
  • Hometown:
    Colorado Springs, Colo.
  • High School:
    Vista Ridge
  • Major:
    Post-Baccalaureate
AT COLORADO: CAREER
  • He has played in 36 games, starting 32.
  • Has 78 career tackles, 47 solo, with 12 tackles for loss to go with seven third down stops, seven quarterback pressures, two-and-a-half sacks, two pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. 
2022 (Jr.)
  • Played in 12 games with 467 defensive snaps, 20 unassisted tackles, 38 total tackles, three tackles for loss, four tackles for zero, one third down stop, five quarterback pressures, one forced fumble, and one pass break up.
  • Named the defensive player of the game against Arizona State.
  • Named a member of the Victory Club for his play in the games against Arizona State and California.
  • Named Preseason All-Pac-12 third team by Athlon, Lindy's College Football and Phil Steele's College Football, and honorable mention by the league's media
  • Named to the East-West Shrine Game 1,000 Watch List. 
  • Had 36 defensive snaps against Air Force with four total tackles, a tackle for zero and a forced fumble.
  • Saw 27 plays defensively in the home opener against TCU, and recorded one assisted tackle and a quarterback hit.
2021 (Soph.-2)—Played in all 12 games with 11 starts … Named an honorable mention All-Pac-12 by the coaches … Named second-team All-Colorado by the National Football Foundation's Colorado Chapter … He had 30 total tackles, 23 solo stops with five for a loss including one-and-a-half sacks … Added five tackles for zero, three third down stops, one quarterback pressure, and a forced fumble … He was the Colorado Defensive Player of the Week, Colorado’s nomination for Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week, and the Arrow CU Athlete of the Week for the season opener against Northern Colorado when he had three tackles, two for a loss and a sack … He was named a game captain against Arizona State.
2020 (Soph.)—Played in all five regular season games, starting the first two of the season (UCLA and at Stanford) … Had a quarterback hurry in the season opener against UCLA … Had a pass breakup at Stanford … Had two tackles and a third down stop at Arizona and finished his season with one tackle against Utah … In the preseason, named fourth-team Preseason All-Pac-12 by Phil Steele's College Football. 
2019 (Fr.-RS)—He played and started in 11 of the 12 games on the season, missing the Washington State game … He was given the team's Tyronee "Tiger" Bussey Award for inspiration in the face of physical adversity … In his 11 games on defense, he played 411 snaps with 25 tackles, including two for a loss, one sack and four more for no gain … He added three third down stops, two quarterback pressures and one fumble recovery … He also played on the field goal/PAT, punt coverage and punt return units on special teams … He had the biggest special teams play of the year, as the last line of defense on the punt coverage unit, he ran down and tackled Washington's Aaron Fuller, saving a sure touchdown … CU held Washington on the next series and then ran the clock out on its next offensive possession, winning 20-14 … Against the Huskies, he was also stellar on defense with a season best five tackles with one third down stop and one quarterback hurry … He was named the team's Defensive and Special Teams Player of the Game against Washington and was CU's nominee for the Pac-12 Defensive Lineman and Freshman of the Week … He was named a captain for the season finale against Utah after senior Alex Kinney asked the coaching staff to switch him out based on his performance … In the finale at Utah, he matched his season best with five tackles and had a sack, two tackles for zero and a third down stop … He was also CU's Defensive Player of the Game for the team's win at Arizona State with four tackles, including one for no gain … In the season opener against Colorado State, he had one tackle and a fumble recovery in his first live action since 2016 … He was named preseason fourth-team All-Pac-12 by Phil Steele and was one of 63 players on the watch list for the Polynesian Player of the Year … In two scrimmages and the spring game, he had 11 total tackles.  
2018 (Fr.)—Redshirted; he joined the team in January as a grayshirt … Went through the first half of spring football before suffering a knee injury that caused him to miss the entire season. 

HIGH SCHOOL—He was a second-team 5A-4A All-Area selection of The Gazette and also drew second-team All-State accolades from CHSAANow.com … Also garnered first-team All-Pikes Peak League honors while being selected as its co-Defensive Lineman MVP ... His senior season during a 6-5 year under coach Jerimi Calip, he recorded 55 tackles in nine games ... Was credited with nine sacks and 15½ tackles for a loss ... In a 24-22 win over Dakota Ridge, he posted 10 tackles, 4½ tackles for a loss and 2½ sacks ... In seven of his nine games he played in, he was credited with multiple tackles for losses ... Had four games recording seven or more tackles, which also included a nine-tackle (two for losses) performance against Pine Creek and eight tackles (again with two for losses) versus Rampart ... Between his junior and senior seasons he participated in the Blue-Grey All-American Combine Colorado Regional that also featured fellow Buffalo signee Heston Paige ... His junior year he anchored the defensive line for Vista Ridge’s playoff team that won the Pikes Peak League and finished the season 9-2 ... He had 30 tackles for the Wolves that year, including nine for losses, and four sacks ... He also recovered one fumble and had three passes batted down at the line of scrimmage ... He was on the track and field team where he was an honorable mention selection as a junior to The Gazette’s Boys’ Track and Field All-Area teams.

ACADEMICS—He graduated with a degree in Ethnic Studies in August 2022 … Named honorable mention on the National Football Foundation Colorado Chapter. 

PERSONAL—He was born on May 6, 1999 in Colorado Springs … Hobbies include playing sports and games and he loves music and singing ... He can play the ukulele and the piano ... He is one of four children of Relva and Taleo Sami ... His father served eight years in the Army and passed away in August 2017 shortly after he committed to the Buffs ... His older brother, Grady, played on the offensive line at Southern Utah. (Last name is pronounced sah-me.)
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