Arguably the most athletically gifted of his older brothers: Hauati and Fua, Taniela could be projected at a multitude of positions. Although he’s rated 3-stars as the no. 79 wide receiver in the 2017 class. Now off his mission, he’s up to 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds.
Pututau’s decision came down to the Utes and Oregon State. While the Beavers made a strong push, his heart was set on staying in Utah and building on the family legacy that is just starting with the Utes. It really was never a question on whether he’d be a Ute or not.
EVALUATION
Taniela is a very fluid player. He seems to almost be gliding around the field with little strain. That is a positive to me for a player to have that kind of quality on high school film because it makes them look a cut above the rest. It also shows the natural athletic ability that Taniela exudes. Two players who also showed that type of natural flow at the outside end position that I know well are Koa Misi and Nate Orchard. All three are athletically gifted and seem to flow easily to the ball from the end position and make plays.
Taniela has a great frame for defensive end that he will fill out during his mission to give him a great starting point when he returns.One other quality that is easy to miss is his ability to tackle low and with power. I would not be surprised if Taniela has had rugby experience because his tackles are always driving through a runner and exploding on contact. This is the way that you want to see guys tackle because it gives them the best chance of bringing down a runner every time.
-Derek Tuimauga, Utah offensive lineman, 2009-13
WHAT IT MEANS
Before he left for his mission Taniela was training as a defensive end, but at 225 pounds, we’ll have to wait and see the immediate plans. If he plays this upcoming season, which he should, he could play anywhere from a lighter defensive end to linebacker, or even a tight end. We’ll see what happens when he has the offseason in the Utah strength and conditioning program. He should add another 10-15 pounds with his family genes.
