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Xavier Suʻa-Filo

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Xavier Filoitumua Suʻa-Filo (born January 1, 1991) is an American former professional football player who was a guard in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCLA Bruins, earning second-team All-American honors in 2013. He was selected by the Houston Texans in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft.

Xavier Suʻa-Filo
refer to caption
Suʻa-Filo with the Houston Texans in 2016
No. 71, 76, 72
Position:Guard
Personal information
Born: (1991-01-01) January 1, 1991 (age 33)
American Fork, Utah, U.S.
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:310 lb (141 kg)
Career information
High school:Timpview (Provo, Utah)
College:UCLA (2009–2013)
NFL draft:2014 / round: 2 / pick: 33
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:83
Games started:60
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early life

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A native of Pleasant Grove, Utah, Suʻa-Filo attended Timpview High School in Provo, Utah, where he was a three-year starter and a Parade magazine All-American offensive lineman.

He contributed to his school winning state championships in 2006, 2007 and 2008, while setting a state record for most consecutive wins (36). He was teammates with future NFL players Stephen Paea and Bronson Kaufusi.[1]

As a senior, he was named the state of Utah 4A Offensive Player of the Year. He was regarded as a four-star recruit and was ranked as the number seven offensive tackle in his class by Rivals.com.[2]

College career

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Suʻa-Filo at the 2014 NFL scouting combine.

Suʻa-Filo accepted a football scholarship from UCLA. As a freshman, he started all 13 games at left tackle. He became the first true freshman to start a season-opener on the offensive side of the ball for UCLA and also had the most starts by a true freshman at any non-kicking position in school history.

In 2010, he left school to serve a two-year Mormon mission in Florida and South Alabama.[3][4] He rode a special ordered bike capable for his 300-pound frame during his mission work from January 2010 to December 2011.[5]

In 2012, he returned and started all 14 games at left guard, while also seeing some action at left tackle. He helped running back Johnathan Franklin set a school record for most single-season rushing yards. As a junior, he started 7 games at left guard and 6 at left left tackle.

On January 5, 2014, he decided to forgo his senior year at UCLA and declared for the 2014 NFL draft.[6] During his college career he started 19 games at left tackle and 21 at left guard.

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 4+1⁄8 in
(1.93 m) 		307 lb
(139 kg) 		33+3⁄8 in
(0.85 m) 		9+3⁄8 in
(0.24 m)		 4.97 s 1.75 s 2.94 s 4.44 s 7.60 s 26 in
(0.66 m)		 8 ft 7 in
(2.62 m)		 26 reps
All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[7][8]

Houston Texans

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Suʻa-Filo was selected by the Houston Texans with the first pick in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2014 NFL draft,[9] to become the highest selected UCLA Bruins offensive lineman since Jonathan Ogden in 1996. As a rookie, he missed all of the organized team activities because of his school's quarter system and played different positions along the offensive line during the preseason. He appeared in 13 games as a backup at left guard after not been able to pass Ben Jones on the depth chart. He started at right guard in place of an injured Brandon Brooks in the sixth game against the Indianapolis Colts.

In 2015, with the retirement of Chris Myers, Jones was moved to center and Suʻa-Filo competed for the left guard position.[10] He played in 11 games, starting the final 9 including the playoffs at left guard. He struggled in pass protection during the season.

In 2016, he appeared in 16 games with 15 starts. In 2017, the Texans used seven different offensive line starting combinations throughout the season. Only Suʻa-Filo and right tackle Breno Giacomini started every game at their respective positions.[11] He wasn't re-signed after the season.

Tennessee Titans

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Suʻa-Filo with the Tennessee Titans in 2018

On March 27, 2018, Suʻa-Filo signed with the Tennessee Titans, reuniting with Mike Vrabel who was both the linebackers coach and defensive coordinator with the Texans. He was brought in to compete with starter Quinton Spain at left guard.[12] He was released on September 1, 2018.[13]

Dallas Cowboys

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On September 11, 2018, Suʻa-Filo was signed by the Dallas Cowboys to replace backup guard Kadeem Edwards and provide depth in place of an injured Parker Ehinger.[14] He replaced injured rookie Connor Williams, as the starter at left guard in the ninth game against the Philadelphia Eagles. His performance helped to stabilize the offensive line.[15]

In 2019, he was a backup until Williams tore his right knee ACL in the Week 13 game against the Buffalo Bills. He started four games at left guard before suffering a high ankle sprain and a fractured fibula in the Week 16 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. He was placed on injured reserve on December 24.

Cincinnati Bengals

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On March 19, 2020, Suʻa-Filo signed a three-year, $10 million contract with the Cincinnati Bengals.[16][17] He was placed on the active/physically unable to perform list at the start of training camp on August 3, 2020,[18] and activated from the list five days later.[19] He was named the starting right guard in Week 1, but suffered an ankle injury and was placed on injured reserve on September 15, 2020.[20] He was activated on December 2, 2020.[21] He appeared in six games with five starts at left guard.

Suʻa-Filo entered the 2021 season as the Bengals starting right guard. He suffered a knee injury in Week 2 and was placed on injured reserve on October 9, 2021.[22] He was activated on January 17, 2022, then released the next day and re-signed to the practice squad.[23][24] His contract expired when the teams season ended on February 13, 2022.

Personal life

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Suʻa-Filo is fluent in Spanish, learning the language on his two-year church mission trips for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Alabama and Florida. Suʻa-Filo has three siblings: Hayley, Natasha, and Wilson. He majored in history with a minor in Spanish at UCLA.

References

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  1. ^ "UCLA's Xavier Suʻa-Filo won't feel like a visitor when he plays in Salt Lake City Thursday". Deseret news. Archived from the original on October 6, 2013. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  2. ^ "Xavier Suʻa Filo Profile". rivals.com. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  3. ^ "Xavier Suʻa-Filo returns from LDS Mission to find new UCLA football landscape". Deseret news. Archived from the original on June 9, 2013. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  4. ^ "Xavier Suʻa-Filo keys UCLA's protection plan". Los Angeles Times. August 22, 2012. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  5. ^ "5 Fun Facts About Newest Dallas Cowboy: Xavier Suʻa-Filo". am570radio.com.
  6. ^ "UCLA's Xavier Suʻa-Filo drafted by Houston Texans". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  7. ^ "Xavier Suʻa-Filo Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  8. ^ "2014 NFL Draft Scout Xavier Su'a-Filo College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  9. ^ "2014 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  10. ^ "It's "night and day" for Xavier Suʻa-Filo in 2015". Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  11. ^ "One critical component to O-line success". Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  12. ^ Wyatt, Jim (March 27, 2018). "Titans Reach Deal with Former Texans OL Xavier Suʻa-Filo". TitansOnline.com. Archived from the original on April 1, 2018.
  13. ^ Wyatt, Jim (September 1, 2018). "Roster Moves: Titans Trim Roster From 90 to 53 Players". TitansOnline.com.
  14. ^ Phillips, Rob (September 11, 2018). "Cowboys Sign Veteran Guard Xavier Suʻa-Filo". DallasCowboys.com.
  15. ^ "Why Xavier Suʻa-Filo should remain the starter at LG over rookie Connor Williams". November 18, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  16. ^ "Bengals Announce Agreements With Eight Unrestricted Free Agents". Bengals.com. April 8, 2020.
  17. ^ Gantt, Darin (March 18, 2020). "Bengals add Xavier Suʻa-Filo to offensive line mix". Pro Football Talk. NBC Sports.
  18. ^ @JayMorrisonATH (August 3, 2020). "In two other moves, the #Bengals placed guard Xavier Suʻa-Filo on the Physically Unable to Perform list and defensive tackle Renell Wren on the Non-Football Injury list. Both players remain on the active roster and can participate in football activity whenever physically cleared" (Tweet). Retrieved August 3, 2020 – via Twitter.
  19. ^ "Bengals' Xavier Suʻa-Filo: Off PUP list". CBSSports.com. August 8, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  20. ^ "Bengals Make Player Moves Ahead Of Week 2 Game Against The Browns". Bengals.com. September 15, 2020.
  21. ^ "Bengals Make Midweek Roster Moves". Bengals.com. December 2, 2020.
  22. ^ "Allen To Active Roster, Suʻa-Filo To Reserve/Injured". Bengals.com. October 9, 2021.
  23. ^ "Bengals Make Roster Moves Ahead Of AFC Divisional Round". Bengals.com. January 18, 2022.
  24. ^ "Xavier Suʻa-Filo Signed To Practice Squad". Bengals.com. January 20, 2022.
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