BYU LB Sione Takitaki Gets Late Call To Senior Bowl
Jan 23, 2019, 4:52 PM | Updated: 4:54 pm
Head coach Kalani Sitake of the BYU Cougars celebrates with Sione Takitaki #16 after the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Madison, Wisconsin. BYU won 24-21. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
PROVO, Utah – After having a great week of practice and a solid game performance in the East-West Shrine Game last week, former BYU linebacker Sione Takitaki has received a late invitation to participate in the Senior Bowl.
According to NFL Draft Analyst Troy Pauline of draftanalyst.com, Takitaki is flying to Mobile, Alabama and will practice on Wednesday.
Linebacker Sione Takitaki of BYU, who had a great week of practice at the Shrine Game then played well on Saturday, is flying overnight and will be added to the #SeniorBowl roster. He will be participating in practice tomorrow.
— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) January 23, 2019
Brian Bosarge of Deep Fried Draft notes that the former BYU linebacker will replace Teas A&M linebacker Otaro Alaka on the south roster which is coached by San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan.
BYU LB Sione Takitaki is replacing Texas A&M LB Otaro Alaka on the @seniorbowl South roster. #SeniorBowl
— Brian Bosarge (@DeepFriedDraft) January 23, 2019
Takitaki finished with three tackles including one for a loss in the Shrine Game. He finished his four-year career in Provo with 241 tackles, 145 of those take-downs were solo, he also had 33 and a half tackles-for-loss, 15 and a half sacks, 5 pass deflections, 2 forced fumbles and fumble recoveries.
He had six games this season with over 10 tackles in a game, including 19 tackles against Western Michigan in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
Sione Takitaki will play in the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, on Saturday (Jan 26) at 1:30pm CST. Watch live on the NFL Network.
➡️ https://t.co/c1PpfIw6Pw#BYUFOOTBALL #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/aG9wMBGeQr
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) January 23, 2019
Other notable names on the south roster for the Senior Bowl includes Utah State tight end Dax Raymond and Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew.
Utah safety Marquise Blair and punter Mitch Wishnowsky are on the north roster. Linebacker Chase Hansen will not play due to a hip injury.
The Senior Bowl will be played on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. on the NFL Network.
