This is one in a series of stories breaking down each of the players on Penn State Football’s 2026 roster.
One of the last of the COVID-era super seniors, Siale Taupaki will play his eighth and final season of college football in 2026. He enrolled at UCLA in 2019, spending the next seven seasons with the Bruins; after a redshirt year as a true freshman, he played seven games in 2020 before foot injuries wiped out most of the next two seasons.
Taupaki broke into the Bruins starting lineup beginning in 2024, starting seven of 12 games before serving as a reserve last season. His familiarity with new Penn State defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, who coached the Bruins during the 2023 season, and defensive line coach Ikaika Malloe, who served a number of roles on UCLA’s defense from 2023 to 2025, should help him fit in in Happy Valley.
Even if he doesn’t start as the anchor of Lynn’s 3-4 defensive front, expect Taupaki to contribute in a rotational role in 2026.
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 326 pounds
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Hometown: East Oakland, Calif.
High School Career: A three-star recruit in high school, Taupaki earned second-team all-state honors in California along with a series of all-region selections in the Bay Area.
PENN STATE
Where he stands: Taupaki’s familiarity with Lynn and Malloe’s coaching style and expectations should help him serve as a valuable veteran presence with Penn State. Beyond his projected role as a rotational defensive tackle, Taupaki can serve as a mentor for his younger teammates after close to a decade in Division I, drawing on his nonlinear career path of injuries and perseverance.
