Taniela Tupou
TE · Redshirt Freshman
6'3" · 255 lbs · Offense
Also wearing #88: Floyd Boucard (DT)
Background
- Hometown
- Carmichael, Calif.
- High school
- Folsom HS
Recruiting
- Rating
- 3-star (0.8728 247 composite)
- National rank
- #857
- Class
- 2025
- Source
- 247 composite
2026 season
receiving
Season by season
2026tap to read
Tupou will compete for playing time at tight end as a redshirt freshman in 2026.
2025tap to read
Tupou, who enrolled at USC in the spring of 2025 after graduating a semester early from high school, saw action in 5 games (Missouri State, Georgia Southern, Oregon, UCLA and the Alamo Bowl versus TCU) as a true freshman in 2025. He recorded 2 receptions for 26 yards (13.0 avg) and a successful two-point conversion in the Alamo Bowl against TCU. HIGH SCHOOL: Tupou, a three-star recruit, played tight end and edge in high school, but will focus on tight end at the collegiate level. He was rated as the No. 52 player in the state of California by 247Spsorts, No. 53 by Rivals, No. 67 by ESPN and No. 92 by On3. He was touted as the No. 36 edge in the nation by Rivals, No. 45 by 247Sports, No. 76 by ESPN and No. 146 by On3. In 2024, he helped Folsom win the San Joaquin Section Division 1 Championship: . Prior to the season, he was named to the
2024tap to read
and was selected by the Sacramento Bee as on one of the best defensive stoppers in the Sacramento area. He was invited to the
2023tap to read
. He also played basketball. PERSONAL: His uncle, Christian Tupou, played on the defensive line at USC from 2007-2011. His uncle, Fenuki, was an offensive tackle at Oregon (2007-08) and played with the Philadelphia Eagles. He is majoring in Psychology at USC.
Official bio
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2026: Tupou will compete for playing time at tight end as a redshirt freshman in 2026.
2025: Tupou, who enrolled at USC in the spring of 2025 after graduating a semester early from high school, saw action in 5 games (Missouri State, Georgia Southern, Oregon, UCLA and the Alamo Bowl versus TCU) as a true freshman in 2025. He recorded 2 receptions for 26 yards (13.0 avg) and a successful two-point conversion in the Alamo Bowl against TCU.
HIGH SCHOOL: Tupou, a three-star recruit, played tight end and edge in high school, but will focus on tight end at the collegiate level. He was rated as the No. 52 player in the state of California by 247Spsorts, No. 53 by Rivals, No. 67 by ESPN and No. 92 by On3. He was touted as the No. 36 edge in the nation by Rivals, No. 45 by 247Sports, No. 76 by ESPN and No. 146 by On3.
In 2024, he helped Folsom win the
San Joaquin Section Division 1 Championship: . Prior to the season, he was named to the
2024 Sacramento Bee Preseason All-Metro Team: and was selected by the Sacramento Bee as on one of the best defensive stoppers in the Sacramento area. He was invited to the
2024 Under Armour Next Camp: and the
2024 Rivals Camp: .
As a junior in 2023, he helped lead Folsom to
a 2023 San Joaquin Section D1 Section Championship: , a
2023 CIF-NorCal title: and the
2023 CIF D1-A State Championship: .
He also played basketball.
PERSONAL: His uncle, Christian Tupou, played on the defensive line at USC from 2007-2011. His uncle, Fenuki, was an offensive tackle at Oregon (2007-08) and played with the Philadelphia Eagles.
He is majoring in Psychology at USC.