Sione Fua
Encyclopedia
Sione Fua is an American football
defensive tackle for the Carolina Panthers
. Fua was considered one of the best defensive tackles available in the 2011 NFL Draft
. Fua is of Tonga
n descent.
in Encino, California, U.S. Regarded as a three-star recruit by Rivals.com
, he was listed as the No. 47 defensive tackle prospect in the class of 2006. He also won a state championship in wrestling at the heavyweight division, becoming the only wrestler from the San Fernando Valley to ever accomplish this feat.
in 2006. In his true freshman year, Fua played in all 12 games and finished with 16 tackles, including seven solo stops. He then missed the 2007 season
while on a LDS Church mission
, but retained a year of eligibility. Fua returned for the 2008 season
and played in all 12 games with seven starts. He recorded 17 total tackles, including 11 solo.
As a junior, Fua started the last 11 games of the season at defensive tackle and finished with 24 tackles, including 3.0 for loss, and 1.5 quarterback sack
s. He earned an honorable mention All-Pac-10 selection.
by the Carolina Panthers
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
defensive tackle for the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
. Fua was considered one of the best defensive tackles available in the 2011 NFL Draft
2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
. Fua is of Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
n descent.
High school career
Fua attended Crespi Carmelite High SchoolCrespi Carmelite High School
Crespi Carmelite High School, called Crespi, is a private, Roman Catholic, four-year college preparatory all-male high school located in Encino, California in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. It is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles...
in Encino, California, U.S. Regarded as a three-star recruit by Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
, he was listed as the No. 47 defensive tackle prospect in the class of 2006. He also won a state championship in wrestling at the heavyweight division, becoming the only wrestler from the San Fernando Valley to ever accomplish this feat.
College career
Fua enrolled in StanfordStanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in 2006. In his true freshman year, Fua played in all 12 games and finished with 16 tackles, including seven solo stops. He then missed the 2007 season
2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 30, 2007, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 7, 2008, where the top...
while on a LDS Church mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
, but retained a year of eligibility. Fua returned for the 2008 season
2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 28, 2008, progressing through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Miami Gardens, Florida on January 8, 2009, where the #2...
and played in all 12 games with seven starts. He recorded 17 total tackles, including 11 solo.
As a junior, Fua started the last 11 games of the season at defensive tackle and finished with 24 tackles, including 3.0 for loss, and 1.5 quarterback sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
s. He earned an honorable mention All-Pac-10 selection.
Pro career
Fua was selected with the 97th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
by the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
.