Key Highlights
- As a freshman, he played in 9 games and started 4 games, averaging 28 snaps per game and finishing the season with 16 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, and 2 sacks. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementVakalahi came into the 2025 season as a starter for the Utes, but went down with an injury just two snaps into the season-opener against UCLA.
- While he came back and still played in 9 games, he dealt with injury throughout the year and only finished the season with 11 tackles and nothing on the TFL or sack front. Still despite the “down” 2025 season, Vakalahi seems like a quality add from the portal.
- He had two seasons of eligibility remaining, and has already showed he can be a legitimate rotation piece on a good Utah defense.
- That will likely be his role here in 2026, as Penn State continues to add some real beef on the interior of the defensive line. Here’s a ~projected~ depth chart of the defensive tackles:1-Tech: Keanu Williams (RS SR+) — Dallas Vakalahi (JR) — De’Andre Cook (RS SO)3-Tech: Armstrong Nnodim (RS SO) — Ty Blanding (RS JR) — Liam Andrews (RS SO) — Alijah Carnell (RS SO)AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWe’ll see who else they add, but the depth is much improved from where it was a few days ago.
