Talanoa Hufanga was born on February 2, 1999, and currently plays for the National Football League’s San Francisco 49ers (NFL). He attended the University of Southern California, where he played football.
Hufanga graduated from Corvallis, Oregon’s Crescent Valley High School. He split his time between safety and wide receiver. He was named the 2017 Polynesian High School National Player of the Year as a senior. He was a member in the 2018 United States Army All-American Game.
Hufanga has committed to play collegiate football for the University of Southern California (USC).
Hufanga started five games as a true freshman at USC in 2018 before suffering a season-ending broken collarbone. He ended with 51 tackles on the season. He started all ten games as a sophomore and totaled 90 tackles and 3.5 sacks. In 2020, Hufanga returned to USC as a starter.
He was named co-recipient of the 2020 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award alongside BYU quarterback Zach Wilson.
The San Francisco 49ers selected Hufanga in the fifth round, 180th overall, of the 2021 NFL Draft. On May 13, 2021, he signed a four-year rookie contract.
Talanoa Hufanga Awards
Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year (2020)
Consensus All-American (2020)
First team All-Pac 12 (2020)
Second team All-Pac-12 (2019)
2020 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award
