The BYU Cougars kick off the 2025 season in 52 days against Portland State. As we continue counting down the days until kickoff, today we will profile the player who wears No.52 - freshman edge rusther Vincent Tautua - by providing three interesting, fun facts:
Fun fact No. 1 - He's one of at least 11 Hawaiians on the roster
BYU has recruited heavily from the Hawaiian islands for decades now. Vincent Tautua prepped at Hawaii's St. Louis High School and had a stellar prep career. He was a four-year starter and helped lead the team to a 2024 state championship. A quick search of BYU's roster reveals 11 players who played high school ball in Hawaii, and Tautua's addition to the roster keeps the pipeline flowing.
Fun fact No. 2 - He was a 3-star talent and turned down Utah for BYU
Tautua's solid high school career led to 247 Sports designating him a three-star talent with an 85 rating. He held offers from Utah, Arizona, Oregon State, and Hawaii but ultimately chose BYU over his other suitors. In an interview with a local news station following his commitment, Vincent referenced BYU's environment, coaching staff, players, and the number of Polynesian players making Provo feel like "home".
"It feels like family over there" - @VincentTautua_
— Mitch Riberal (@Mitch_Riberal) December 5, 2024
Saint Louis Senior Vincent Tautua is headed to BYU to play football.@RobDeMelloKHON I @KHONnews I #BYUFootball pic.twitter.com/bXtvPC0AvY
Fun fact No. 3 - He has great size for a freshman
Already showing up at 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds on BYU's roster, Tautua has promising size to compete off the edge in a Power Four program. With time and BYU's top-shelf strength and nutrition programs, the true freshman should be able to add even more muscle to his frame in coming years. Given BYU's depth at defensive end, it wouldn't be surprising for 2025 to turn into a redshirt season for Vincent, giving him one additional year to prepare for what could be a good career at BYU.