Vili Taufatofua

Kansas State

Oct 31 (Sat)

12 p.m.

Position:
Defensive Line
Height:
6-3
Weight:
260
Class:
Fifth
Hometown:
Auckland, New Zealand
High School:
Mount Roskill
Prev School:
New Mexico Military Institute/Utah/San Jose State

AT COLORADO

2026 (Fifth-Year): Has played in two games. Has five tackles and one tackle for loss. Preseason: Polynesian Player of the Year watch list.

Game by Game:

vs. Texas Tech (Oct. 3, L 7-29): 1 tackle. Colorado debut.
vs. Utah (Oct. 17, L 24-27): 4 tackles, 1 TFL. CU high in tackles.

AS A TRANSFER

Rated a three-star transfer prospect by 247Sports, which listed him as the No. 855 player in the portal and the No. 97 edge as of Jan. 16, 2026. Enters Colorado as an undergraduate transfer with two years to play two.

AT SAN JOSE STATE (2025)

2025 (Fourth-Year): Started all 11 games he played and had 34 tackles, seven tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles and a pass breakup, earning honorable mention All-Mountain West and CSC Academic All-District honors.

AT UTAH (2023-24)

2024 (Third-Year): Played in one game, as a reserve in the win over Southern Utah, and was one of three Scout Team Players of the Game after the win at Oklahoma State.

2023 (Second-Year): Did not see game action.

JUNIOR COLLEGE RANKINGS

247Sports listed him as the No. 51 junior college player, the No. 7 defensive lineman and the No. 1 player from New Zealand; the 247Sports Composite ranked him the No. 11 junior college player, the No. 3 defensive lineman and the No. 1 player from New Zealand.

AT NEW MEXICO MILITARY INSTITUTE (2022)

2022 (First-Year): Appeared in all 12 games and helped the Broncos to a 9-3 record and a Wool Bowl win, making 81 tackles with 21.5 for loss and 15.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick. Tied for the NJCAA Division I lead in sacks and ranked third in tackles for loss, with a season-high nine tackles in three games, including wins over Blinn and Cisco.

AT MOUNT ROSKILL GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Attended Mount Roskill Grammar School in Auckland, New Zealand.

PERSONAL

Son of Tevita Taufatofua and Loloma Fine; has three siblings, Siutaisa, Kerriane and Losaline. Enjoys fishing and listening to music. Comes from a football family: cousins Fui Vakapuna and Siupeli Anau played in the NFL, Tauni Vakapuna was a running back at Utah and Evahelotu Sese Tohi played at New Mexico.