Utah State Depth Chart Preview: Defensive Line

Joshua Papu redshirted at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, and did not play during the 2024 season. In high school, Papu prepped at Tafuna High School in Fagatogo, American Samoa, and was ranked as the …

Utah State’s Fall camp is in full swing as the Aggies prepare for the 2025 season with their season opener against UTEP less than a month out. There are still some questions about the depth chart, especially at receiver and at offensive line, but there are other position groups where the starters are clearer. So, who are the predicted starters and who are the backups that could make a difference and potentially see the field? Let’s get into it!

This article in the series will cover the defensive line.

Defensive End #1

Starting Defensive End #1: Tyree Morris (Junior): Tyree Morris is a junior who has spent the past two seasons at Lafayette, appearing in 22 games with 12 starts and recording 77 tackles, three sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, four pass breakups, and a forced fumble. With the opportunity to play alongside defensive end Enoka Migao, the two could turn into a very productive pass rush package.

Other Names to Consider for Defensive End #1: #1 Carson Tujague (Redshirt Freshman); #2 Tanner Jolley (Sophomore)

Carson Tujague played at BYU in 2024, redshirting his freshman season and making no appearances on the field as he served on the scout team. In high school, Tujague attended Western Albemarle High School in Virginia and was rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports before going on a two-year LDS mission.

Tanner Jolley redshirted his 2023 season with the Aggies and did not appear in any games. During the 2024 season, Jolley played in one game against San Diego State and did not record any statistics. During his senior year of high school (Fruita Monument High School, Colorado), Jolley made 44 tackles, four sacks, and nine tackles for loss in addition to forcing a fumble and recovering a fumble.

Starting Defensive End #2

Enoka Migao (Senior): Enoka Migao has spent his entire career with Utah State, and throughout his career, he has played in 22 games with five starts. At Utah State, Migao has made 27 tackles, one sack, and three tackles for loss.

Other Names to Consider for Defnesive End #2: #1 Carl Nesmith (Senior); #2 Zion Andreasen (Sophomore); #3 William Holmes (Sophomore)

Carl Nesmith played in three games and had two tackles and one sack in his junior year in 2024. Before coming to Utah State, Nesmith played for Fullerton College his sophomore year, recording 31 tackles, nine sacks, 13 tackles for loss, three pass breakups, and one forced fumble. Carl Nesmith redshirted at Florida A&M before coming to Fullerton College. Nesmith will have the opportunity to see the field more this season in relief of Enoka Migao.

Zion Andreasen redshirted the 2023 season and appeared in one game against Idaho State, making one tackle. During his redshirt freshman season in 2024, Andreasen appeared in five games and made one tackle against Washington State. As a senior at East High School in Salt Lake City, Andreasen had 93 tackles, 18.5 sacks, and 11 pass breakups.

William Holmes appeared in nine games and had six tackles and 1.5 sacks during his freshman year in 2024. An interesting fact about Holmes is that he was selected in the fifth round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Angels.

Nose Tackle

Starting Nose Tackle: Gabriel Iniguez Jr. (Senior): Besides playing at Utah State in 2024, Gabriel Iniguez Jr. has played for Hawaii (2020-2021) and New Mexico State (2023) and over his Division 1 collegiate career, Iniguez Jr. has played in 27 games with 16 starts and has made 53 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 6.5 tackles for loss. During the 2024 season, Gabriel Iniguez Jr. started all 12 games for the Aggies and finished the season with 29 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and 1.5 tackles for loss. Gabriel Iniguez Jr. finished the 2023 season with New Mexico State with 24 tackles, two sacks, and five tackles for loss through 15 games. Before New Mexico State, he played his redshirt freshman season at City College of San Francisco, playing in 10 games and making 37 tackles, six sacks, eight tackles for loss, and forcing and recovering one fumble. Gabriel Iniguez Jr. began his collegiate career at Hawaii and did not appear on the field in 2020 before redshirting the 2021 season.

Backup Nose Tackle: #1 Naki Fahina (Senior); #2 Kone Aumua-Uiagalelei (Junior); #3 Joshua Papu (Redshirt Freshman)

Naki Fahina is in his first season with Utah State after spending the 2023 season with New Mexico State, starting in 12 games as a junior and finishing the season with 29 tackles and one tackle for loss. Before coming to New Mexico State, Fahina spent the 2019 to 2023 seasons with UNLV, appearing in 27 games with seven starts and making 36 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss, one pass breakup, and forcing one fumble. In 2023, Naki Fahina redshirted and appeared in four games, and in 2022, Fahina was granted a medical redshirt. As a true freshman in 2019, Naki Fahina appeared in seven games and had five tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss.

Kone Aumua-Uiagalelei is in his first year with Utah State after playing for Mt. San Antonio College in California as a sophomore, recording 22 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Kone Aumua-Uiagalelei spent his freshman season at Independence Community College in Kansas and prepared at Auburn Riverside High School, recording 25 tackles as a senior.

Joshua Papu redshirted at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, and did not play during the 2024 season. In high school, Papu prepped at Tafuna High School in Fagatogo, American Samoa, and was ranked as the #1 defensive lineman in American Samoa as he recorded three sacks, 10 tackles for loss, and forced three fumbles with one recovery.

Defensive Tackle

Starting Defensive Tackle: Bo Maile (Senior): Bo Maile, in his career with Utah State, has played in 33 games and has started one. Maile has 40 career tackles, 1.5 sacks, and three tackles for loss. Bo Maile played in 11 games in 2024, finishing the season with 19 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and 1.5 tackles for loss. During his sophomore season in 2023, Maile again played in 11 games, finishing the season with 14 tackles and 0.5 sacks for loss. In his redshirt freshman season, Bo Maile played in 11 games and finished the season with seven tackles. During his redshirt season in 2021, Maile did not appear in any games. While he has made just one start in his career, Bo Maile is going to be an important piece of the defensive line this season. If he can stay healthy, he should make quite a few starts this season.

Backup Defensive Tackles: #1 Nu’uletau Sellesin (Senior); #2 Iverson Report (Freshman); #3 Bryan Vogl (Sophomore)

Nu’uletau Sellesin is in his first year with Utah State after spending the past two seasons with BYU (2023-2024). With the Cougars, Sellesin appeared in two games and recorded one tackle in 2023 and did not appear in any games in 2024. Before attending BYU, Nu’uletau Sellesin spent three seasons with Weber State (2020-2022) and appeared in 13 games during that time, making 24 tackles, four sacks, six tackles for loss, and forcing one fumble. Nu’uletau Sellesin prepped at Woods Cross (Utah) High School, and in his prep career, he made 88 tackles, 13 sacks, 28 tackles for loss, a pass breakup, and forced one fumble. Before attending Weber State, Sellesin went on a two-year LDS mission.

Iverson Report is a freshman who played at Layton (Utah) Christian Academy and had 206 tackles and 40 sacks during his prep career. In his senior season, Report had 48 tackles, 14 sacks, and 20 tackles for loss. As a junior, Report had 88 tackles and had nine sacks. As a sophomore, Iverson Report had 42 tackles, including 12 sacks, and had 28 tackles and five sacks as a freshman.

Bryan Vogl arrived at Utah State in 2023 and redshirted both the 2023 and 2024 seasons as he did not appear in any games. Vogl attended Cedar Valley High School in Utah and finished his high school career with 196 tackles, including 31 sacks, 62 tackles for loss, eight pass breakups, six forced fumbles, and four fumble recoveries. During his senior year, Bryan Vogl had 50 tackles, seven sacks, and 17 tackles for loss in addition to adding two pass deflections and two fumble recoveries with one forced fumble.

Source: Utah News