Daniel Faalele

Daniel Faalele ( ; born 9 November 1999) is an Australian professional American football guard for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Minnesota Golden Gophers and was selected by the Ravens in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft.

Early life Faalele was born on 9 November 1999 in Melbourne, Victoria, to a Samoan father and Tongan mother. According to a 2017 USA Today article, his father was tall, weighing . Faalele played basketball and rugby union as a youth until a member of the coaching staff of the University of Hawaii football team discovered him while scouting players in Australia.

After participating in a local satellite camp run by Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and garnering interest from multiple Division I programs, Faalele was recruited to play football at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. After only practising and learning the sport in 2016, he was a starter on IMG's offensive line in 2017 as the team went undefeated and he was selected to play in the 2018 Under Armour All-America Game. Faalele was rated a four star prospect and committed to play college football at Minnesota over offers from Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, LSU and Michigan.

College career Faalele played in 10 games as a true freshman, starting the final eight games of the season at right tackle and was named honourable mention All-Big Ten Conference. Following the season, he was listed as one of Australia's 50 Greatest Living Athletes by GQ Australia. Faalele started 11 games at right tackle and was again named honorable mention All-Big Ten as a sophomore. As a junior in 2020, Faalele opted out of the season due to the COVID-19 crisis. Despite projections that Faalele would enter the 2021 NFL draft, he decided to stay with Minnesota for his senior year. On 28 December 2021, in his final college game, he scored his first career touchdown in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl against West Virginia, with a two-yard run up the middle.

Professional career

Baltimore Ravens Faalele was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round, 110th overall, of the 2022 NFL draft. At , Faalele became the heaviest rostered player in the NFL. As a rookie, he appeared in 16 games and made one start. During his final season with the Ravens in 2025, Faalele came under heavy criticism by Ravens fans and reporters for poor in-game performances, with many giving him descriptions such as "the worst offensive lineman in Ravens history".

New York Giants On April 8, 2026, Faalele signed a one-year contract with the New York Giants, reuniting him with head coach John Harbaugh.

Jacksonville Jaguars On August 19, 2026, Faalele was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 2027 sixth-round pick.