SAN ANTONIO — UTSA linebacker Josiah Tauaefa announced Friday night that he will forgo his senior season and enter the 2019 NFL Draft.
Tauaefa led the Roadrunners with 113 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and three quarterback hurries in 2018. One of 10 semifinalists for the Butkus Award, which recognizes the nation's top linebacker, the Corinth, Texas, native also tallied 62 solo stops and a pair of forced fumbles as a junior. Tauaefa, who was named honorable mention All-Conference USA by the league's head coaches, registered double-digit tackles in six contests, including five of the final six weeks, and his 113 stops stand as the second-best season in program history behind the 115 he posted in 13 games as a freshman in 2016.
"Josiah certainly developed into one of the best players in UTSA history and that was because of his hard work and dedication to be the best he could be," head coach Frank Wilson said in a statement Friday night. "He was also an outstanding representative of the university off the field in the way he carried himself and contributed to the community. We thank Josiah for all that he did for this program and our university, and we wish him the best of luck as he pursues his professional dream. He'll always be a Roadrunner for life."
Tauaefa released the following statement via Twitter on Friday:
"First off, I'd like to thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity to play the sport I love. I also want to thank my family for their constant love and support throughout my entire collegiate career. Lastly, I'd like to thank the University of Texas-San Antonio and everyone that has had a hand in my career here at UTSA as well as all the coaches who have given me an opportunity to compete at the Division I level. With that being said, I am choosing to forego my senior year and declare for the NFL draft. Now and forever, I am a Roadrunner."
Tauaefa burst onto the scene as a redshirt freshman in 2016, becoming the program's first-ever Freshman All-American and also collecting C-USA Freshman of the Year and first-team all-league accolades after his record-setting season. He posted nine TFL, six sacks and a pair of pass breakups.
Despite missing more than a third of his sophomore season due to injury, Tauaefa tallied 29 tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, two PBUs and a fumble return for a touchdown.
The Lake Dallas High School product finished his collegiate career ranked second on UTSA's career chart with 257 total tackles, 136 assisted tackles and 121 solo stops. He also stands third in program history with 11.5 sacks and fourth with 22.5 tackles for loss.
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