RENTON — Washington defensive tackle Taniela Tupou may not have been the star attraction at this weekend’s Seattle Seahawks rookie minicamp.
He wasn’t one of the Seahawks’ 10 selections in the NFL draft. He wasn’t even one of the 13 undrafted rookie free agents signed by the team. He was merely one of nearly 30 rookies attending on a tryout basis, hoping they could do something to catch the coaches’ eyes and earn a contract.
But though the odds were against him, Tupou was determined to make the most of his opportunity.
The Archbishop Murphy High School graduate and Marysville native was one of the 68 players who took part in Seattle’s rookie minicamp, and he was willing to do anything it took to make his case for earning a roster spot — including learning a completely new position.
“It was a blessing,” Tupou said about receiving an invitation from the Seahawks to attend rookie minicamp. “I had multiple invitations, so I just figured the Seahawks were the best fit for me. It’s home, this is where I’m from, so I knew what the honor would be to stay home and try and compete for a spot. I’m just grateful for it.”
Tupou had a break-out season as a senior in 2015 at Washington with 37 tackles, including 5.5 for loss. It was good enough for the Seahawks and four other NFL teams to extend invitations to Tupou to attend their rookie minicamps.
However, the Seahawks’ invitation came with a twist. They wanted him to try out not only as a defensive tackle, but also as a fullback, a position the 6-foot-2, 280-pound Tupou hadn’t played since high school.
So there was Tupou this weekend at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center, lining up behind the quarterback during drills, serving as the lead blocker, and catching passes out of the backfield.
“I love it, it’s fun,” Tupou said about playing fullback. “It’s a little change. But I feel like it’s kind of played out to my advantage. I played defense mostly. I played a little bit of offense in high school. But I see stuff that’s going on in front of me as I try to lead up into the hole. I can tell, ‘OK, I know what that guy is going to do because I was there on the other side.’ It’s been fun. It’s been a little difficult to pick up, but I’m getting there and I’m able to pick it up.”
Tupou spent time during minicamp at both defensive tackle and fullback — he spent Friday’s first day exclusively as a defensive tackle, while lining up at fullback on both Saturday and Sunday.
The switch to fullback isn’t a complete surprise. When the Huskies held their pro day Tupou took some reps as a fullback, and he says he’s been receptive to the possible position change.
“Hey, you’ve got to do whatever you’ve got to do to make the team,” Tupou explained. “Not only that, I love football, and the more that I can pick up and learn about the game, the more that benefits me. I’m open to anything and everything. I’m even out here on special teams, coverage teams, trying to run down the field. I sat in all the special teams meetings at UW and never thought that one day I’d have to be covering kicks. Now I’m here using what I learned in those meetings. Whatever it takes to get out there, I’m willing to do.”
Fullback is likely Tupou’s best avenue toward earning a spot with the Seahawks. Both of Seattle’s fullbacks from last season, Derrick Coleman and Will Tukuafu, are free agents and have not been re-signed by the team. Like Tupou, Tukuafu was a converted defensive lineman, so the Seahawks have displayed a willingness to use a converted player in that role.
Not that learning fullback has come without its challenges.
“It’s different terminology and plays,” Tupou said. “Defense is a lot more simple, especially D-line. Give me a call and I’ve got this gap or that gap, or I’m stunting this way. On offense there’s a long script that they’re telling everybody what to do, and you have to listen for your key words. Not only that, you’re kind of reacting because you’re never going to get a clean look at things. For example, trying to run through a hole, that hole might be there or it might not, you might have to create your own hole. Just finding those and adjusting, that’s been the most difficult. But through repetition, especially through our walkthroughs, I’ve been picking it up fast.”
Tupou showed a surprisingly good set of hands out of the backfield, including catching a touchdown pass on a goal-line play-action pass during Sunday’s scrimmage. It was a throwback to one of his greatest moments at Archbishop Murphy: his last-minute, game-winning touchdown catch on a fake field goal, giving Archbishop Murphy a 14-7 victory over Cedarcrest as a junior.
That moment in 2009 was an unexpected one for Tupou, and he’s hoping he was able to produce another unexpected moment this weekend by earning a contract.
“I feel like I’ve been able to show them I’m a quick learner, I can pick up things, and I’m willing to work and do whatever it takes to make the team,” Tupou said. “Hopefully everything works out for me in the end. But either way, I’m happy I was blessed with this opportunity.”
Check out Nick Patterson’s Seattle Sidelines blog at http://www.heraldnet.com/seattlesidelines, and follow him on Twitter at @NickHPatterson.
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