WATCH: Henry To'oTo'o praises Tua Tagovailoa for impact on Polynesian players
Linebacker Henry To’oTo’o and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa may share an alma mater, as they both attended Alabama, but they also share Polynesian culture. To’oTo’o is participating in the NFL Combine this week, as he prepares for the 2023 NFL Draft, and while on the podium spoke about Tagovailoa and his impact on Polynesian culture.
“Tua’s an Alabama guy, I’ma love him and support him everywhere he goes,” To’oTo’o said. “I definitely love his game, he’s another trendsetter for the Polynesian culture.”
All-time NFL greats like Jesse Sapolu and the late Junior Seau have paved the way for Polynesian players, laying a foundation many years ago. But now in the current NFL, seeing Polynesian players is extremely common across the league. From Talanoa Hufanga and Marcus Mariota to Penei Sewell and Tagovailoa, players of Polynesian descent have more than proven their ability at the game’s highest level.
“We have a lot of guys that put on for our small culture trying to make us worldwide, and he’s one of those guys doing it. And hopefully, guys like me and guys like Noah Sewell can be able to follow their footsteps at that standard,” To’oTo’o said.
Like To’oTo’o, Sewell is another linebacker prospect for the upcoming NFL Draft representing Polynesian culture. Sewell is a former five-star recruit that was one of the top-ranked prospects in the entire 2020 class according to On3 Consensus. He’s a former Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year and a regular on the Pac-12 All-Conference team who could make a big impact in the NFL.
To’oTo’o transferred to Alabama from Tennessee in 2021, leading the team in tackles in his first season with the Crimson Tide with 111 along with four sacks. He ranked second on the team in tackles in 2022, establishing himself as the defense’s vocal leader and communicator from his middle linebacker position.
Both players have the potential to have bright futures at the next level, and hopefully, they can continue to build up the Polynesian legacy in the NFL that has been established by so many great players.
More on the 2023 NFL Draft
The 2023 NFL Draft is set to take place from Thursday, April 27 through Saturday, April 29 in Kansas City, Missouri. The event will be held at the plaza just outside of Union Station.
Round 1 of the NFL Draft is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Apr. 27. Rounds 2-3 will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Apr. 28, and Rounds 4-7 will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Apr. 29. The draft will be broadcasted throughout the weekend on both ESPN and NFL Network.
To be eligible for the NFL Draft, players must be at least three years removed from their final year of high school while having used up their collegiate eligibility. Underclassmen are able to request league approval to become eligible for the draft, as are players who have graduated prior to using up all of their collegiate eligibility. 100 underclassmen were approved for last year’s draft. 73 of those 100 underclassmen were granted special eligibility while 27 of them were underclassmen who had completed their college degrees.
The 2023 NFL scouting combine will take place from Feb. 28 through March 6 in Indianapolis.