Utah’s Junior Tafuna Finishes On High Note After Making Plays In 2025 Senior Bowl
Feb 1, 2025, 5:01 PM | Updated: 9:42 pm
SALT LAKE CITYβTwo Utah football standouts, Junior Tafuna and Karene Reid, enjoyed a week of positive play at the Reese’s Senior Bowl.Β
In Saturday’s game, Tafuna put the exclamation point on his strong showing by registering a sack and recovering a fumble in the game.
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Good luck to Junior Tafuna & @k_reid41 down in Mobile at the @seniorbowlβΌοΈπ
β° 12:30PM MT
ποΈ Hancock Whitney Stadium
πΊ @nflnetwork #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/KtWuU3SkrD— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) February 1, 2025
Utah’s defensive leaders, Reid and Tafuna, were added to the top NFL Draft showcase. Both players were part of the National roster, that ultimately lost to the American team, 22-19 in a pretty entertaining contest.
RELATED: ESPN Projects Improved Utah In The 2025-26 College Football Playoff
Utah DT Junior Tafuna notches sack, fumble recovery in Senior Bowl
Early in the second quarter, Tafuna registered a sack on Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard. He powered through the block of Clay Webb to bring Leonard down for the sack.
Junior Tafuna with the sack for the National Team! @Utah_Football
πΊ: @SeniorBowl on NFL Network
π±: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/rPZnyeCDIs— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) February 1, 2025
At the start of the 4th quarter, Tafuna showed some headiness as he quickly recognized an opportunity for a takeaway.
After a botched under-center snap exchange, Tafuna identified the ball on the ground and didn’t hesitate to fall on it and get the takeaway for the National team.
Junior Tafuna recovers the ball for the National team! @Utah_Football π«‘
πΊ: @SeniorBowl on NFL Network
π±: Stream on #NFLPlusΒ
pic.twitter.com/o9oHuPSGfi— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) February 1, 2025
The defensive tackle’s collegiate career
Tafuna was an All-Conference selection in each of his four seasons and was named Freshman of the Year in 2021. Over the past two years, he has become the heart and soul of the defense, providing the emotional leadership it needed.
He played in 48 games and started 45 of them. He finished with 108 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 9 pass deflections, 1 forced fumble, and 3 fumble recoveries.
RELATED: Utah Football Hosted 2026, 2027 Prospects For Junior Day
Utah LB Karene Reid at the Senior Bowl
On a roster that included a couple of really good linebackers, including former Kearns and Oregon product Jeffrey Bassa, the Utah product just played good football.
Reid ended the game tied with Bassa for the lead in tackles with 4 apiece. Unfortunately, he also left the game with what could be a significant injury.
Still, Reid had a good week at the Senior Bowl and certainly helped himself this week.
The linebacker’s collegiate career
A two-time All-Pac-12 selection, Reid provided Utah with playmaking and leadership over the course of his four seasons. Reid suffered an injury that cost him multiple games, and he battled through the lingering effects for the rest of the season.
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Reid played in 43 games, starting 39, and had a knack for taking the ball away from the opponent. He finished his career with 238 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 9 sacks, 3 interceptions, 9 pass deflections, 1 forced fumble, and 2 fumble recoveries.
The invitations are significant as the Senior Bowl has a high draft rate among the players in attendance. After narrowing down a watchlist of over 400 names, the Senior Bowl invites around 125 players to the event. Last year, 110 players who attended last year’s Senior Bowl were selected in the NFL Draft.
