NFL Draft: San José State's Soane Toia Embraces 'Junkyard Dog' Mentality, CFB Lineage

You often hear the phrase “Lineman Need Love Too.” Something you don’t usually hear, however, is a lineman saying they wished they could run the ball.

When San José State hosted their Pro Day last month, defensive tackle Soane Toia uttered those exact words.

“A couple of the scouts wanted to see me do a fullback spot,” explained Toia. “I’ve always wanted to run the ball - I feel like I can’t be tackled, for some reason.”

It’s that kind of confidence that has helped etch Toia’s name into Spartan defensive lore. Toia earned 2024 preseason and postseason accolades, leading a unit that was the third-most efficient pass defense in the Mountain West last year. Toia finished his collegiate career with 153 tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. 

It's an impressive body of work for a player with no exposure to football prior to high school. However, Toia took to the game like a duck to water in a way that not even his San José State defensive coordinator could fully understand or explain.

“He’s extremely savvy - he understands the game really, really well and he puts himself in position to make plays because of his football intelligence,”clarified SJSU DC Derrick Odum. “And that’s what separates him. On paper, he’s an undersized guy, so people wonder how he makes so many plays. Well, he’s an extremely sharp guy, he understands formations and his football IQ is off the charts.”

That football IQ, no doubt, is a testament to his Grace Brethren High School football coaches, as well as his family. Toia's football lineage stretches from his older brother Siaki Ika, who played for LSU and Baylor, to his brother Jay Toia, who played at UCLA, to his cousin Stanley Ta’ufo’ou, who played at USC and Arizona and was the reason both Jay and Soane attended the college preparatory Christian high school in Simi Valley. 

At the end of the day, Toia's aptitude for the game of football and his talent on the field can really only be attributed to one person: himself. According to Toia, he feels like he could play this beautiful, violent game forever.

“I’m like a junkyard dog - I can take hits,” said Toia. “Thankfully I’ve had no injuries - I feel like I could play forever. I’m thankful to God for that, nothing is possible without him. And that’s what I would bring to an NFL team - longevity and competitiveness, to elevate the other guys. I bring energy and confidence whenever I step on the field.”

Toia’s brother Jay, who was in attendance for Soane’s Pro Day in San José, favored a more uncomplicated approach to describing his sibling.

“He’s just a football player,” Jay said simply. “He’s competitive and he can outwork anybody.”

The Toia brothers are navigating this NFL Draft together - Jay attended this year's NFL Combine and UCLA’s Pro Day while Soane earned Tropical Bowl Defensive MVP honors prior to his Pro Day performance. Both sparked notice from media members and peaked draft analysts' interest. That attention just pushed each brother to work harder and do better.

Healthy competition is a part of their process.

“Football is just what we do, just being competitive with each other - it’s actually a good thing,” explained Toia. “It’s just motivation knowing where we come from and why we do it - to find a better life for ourselves and our families.”

Family plays a big role in Toia’s life, something that was clear to Odum from the very first recruiting visit.

“They had some big boys in that house,” laughed Odum. “Great family, grew up the right way, very respectful, tough - all the things you want in a defensive lineman for sure.”

Or possibly a fullback? Like many players looking for a place on a professional roster, Toia’s reps at the offensive/special teams position may help NFL teams see his potential and versatility. 

“Soane is such a savvy player that whatever a team asks him to do, he will pick it up and he will excel at it,” assured Odum. “It wouldn't surprise me at all if he gets an opportunity at fullback. He’s very athletic; he will find a way.”

Toia’s play speaks for itself, but when asked about his favorite moments during his five years at San José State, it wasn’t the career-high nine tackles against No. 23 UNLV last year or the sack he had against No. 25 Fresno State in the Spartans 40-point Bulldog blowout that he mentioned. It was the guys he had the opportunity to mentor along the way.

“Just getting to see the young guys come in and take them under my wing and show them the right way," Toia said of what he will remember fondly about college. "I trust Coach Ken and all the coaches, they are good people and I know San José State is going to be in good hands.”

There was a moment when former head coach Brent Brennan took the job at Arizona that Toia considered entering the portal. After some reflection, however, and an impassioned reminder from Odum that it was his time to lead, Toia decided to finish what he had started in Silicon Valley.

“I told him ‘Soane, you worked your whole career to be the leader of the room - it’s your room now,’”Odum shared. “‘This is your baby. You can leave a legacy like all the guys before you - Junior, Viliami Fehoko, Cade Hall - they were all here until the end and they just all passed the torch. Now it’s your torch.’”

That resonated with Toia, who became a commander on the field and in the locker room in his final year.

“He was a leader and people looked up to him and that just increased his whole persona, the way he prepared going into each game because he knew he had to leave a legacy for the people behind him,” said Odum. “And he did a tremendous job of that -  it was really amazing to see him flourish and grow and mature as a human.”

When Toia walked off the field after his Pro Day, he didn’t look worried or stressed. He didn’t instantly start breaking down what could have been better. He looked calm, like all the pieces were falling into place.

“Somebody told me a couple of days ago - I think it was my teammate offensive lineman Peseti Lapuaho, that everything is already set, you just have to go with God,” clarified Toia. “God has already set whatever the future holds so you just have to welcome each day and see where it goes.”

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