Difference between revisions of "Tana Keïta"
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==Early years== | ==Early years== | ||
| − | + | Tana Keïta was named after his maternal grandfather who was a Guinean immigrant to the United States. He grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and attended Saint Ignatius High School. He was a very reserved boy who didn’t spend a lot of time away from home except for school and football. His High School coach said of him; | |
“Tana leads by example. He is not a big talker. He just gets in there and does his job every day and makes everybody around him better.” | “Tana leads by example. He is not a big talker. He just gets in there and does his job every day and makes everybody around him better.” | ||
| Line 42: | Line 42: | ||
This would not be his last game at The Horseshoe though. Tana decided to commit to The Ohio State University in order to remain close to home, after receiving offers from many schools across the country including Notre Dame, Penn State, Ole Miss, Clemson and Oklahoma. | This would not be his last game at The Horseshoe though. Tana decided to commit to The Ohio State University in order to remain close to home, after receiving offers from many schools across the country including Notre Dame, Penn State, Ole Miss, Clemson and Oklahoma. | ||
| − | Tana was named Second Team All American coming out of High School. | + | Tana was named Second Team All American coming out of High School. |
==College career== | ==College career== | ||
| − | + | Coming out of Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Keïta was a five star recruit. He became a part of a revered defense at Ohio State where in his four years he played alongside players such as the Bosa brothers, Denzel Ward, Marshon Lattimore, Malik Hooker and most importantly Ryan Shazier who he lined up beside as MLB. | |
| − | He did not see much of the field in his freshman year. Keïta had 95 and 92 solo tackles in his sophomore and junior years respectively before he lead the country in tackles with 114 in his senior year. Add three sacks, 12 tackles for a loss, and five pass deflections to that in his senior year. He graduated after 4 years with a degree in criminal justice. | + | He did not see much of the field in his freshman year. Keïta had 95 and 92 solo tackles in his sophomore and junior years respectively before he lead the country in tackles with 114 in his senior year. Add three sacks, 12 tackles for a loss, and five pass deflections to that in his senior year. He graduated after 4 years with a degree in criminal justice. |
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==Professional career== | ==Professional career== | ||
===EFL career=== | ===EFL career=== | ||
| − | Keïta played four seasons for the Buckeyes before declaring for the EFL | + | Keïta played four seasons for the Buckeyes before declaring for the 2023 EFL draft. He went undrafted due to a perceived lack of commitment to the sport and was picked up as an UDFA by the San Antonio Wolfpack although he never saw the field for the side. The Wolfpack released him before the 2024 season |
===DSFL career=== | ===DSFL career=== | ||
| − | After a few months of working out with the Tijuana Luchadores Keïta declared for the | + | After a few months of working out with the Tijuana Luchadores Keïta declared for the {{dsfly|10}} DSFL draft. |
===Professional career statistics=== | ===Professional career statistics=== | ||
Revision as of 17:32, 23 April 2024
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| No. 56 – Retired | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Linebacker |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | June 19, 2001 (aged 61) Cleveland, Ohio, USA |
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight: | 265 lb (120 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Saint Ignatius High School |
| College: | Ohio State |
| Career history | |
| Roster status: | Active |
Tana Keïta (born June 19, 2001) is an American football linebacker who is currently unsigned by a professional team.
Contents
Early years
Tana Keïta was named after his maternal grandfather who was a Guinean immigrant to the United States. He grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and attended Saint Ignatius High School. He was a very reserved boy who didn’t spend a lot of time away from home except for school and football. His High School coach said of him;
“Tana leads by example. He is not a big talker. He just gets in there and does his job every day and makes everybody around him better.”
His situation at home grew worse and worse throughout his time in High School. An abusive father who eventually left the family made it necessary for Tana to be at home as often as possible to look after both his siblings and his mother. He would often be sporting bruises he had not suffered in a football game due to protecting his mother from being hurt. His three younger siblings all looked up to him as he had been a father figure to them after not having one himself. His grades at school were adequate although nothing special, but on the football field was where he really shined. As the Mike Linebacker and leader of the defense he took his school to the State Championship game held at Ohio Stadium (The Horseshoe) in Columbus, Ohio. There they would face Cincinnati St. Xavier.
Tana had 14 tackles, 6 tackles for a loss and 5.5 sacks although his team ultimately ended up losing the game in over time. It was a heartbreaking loss for the team and for Tana’s family as they had travelled to watch his final game at the High School level.
This would not be his last game at The Horseshoe though. Tana decided to commit to The Ohio State University in order to remain close to home, after receiving offers from many schools across the country including Notre Dame, Penn State, Ole Miss, Clemson and Oklahoma. Tana was named Second Team All American coming out of High School.
College career
Coming out of Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Keïta was a five star recruit. He became a part of a revered defense at Ohio State where in his four years he played alongside players such as the Bosa brothers, Denzel Ward, Marshon Lattimore, Malik Hooker and most importantly Ryan Shazier who he lined up beside as MLB. He did not see much of the field in his freshman year. Keïta had 95 and 92 solo tackles in his sophomore and junior years respectively before he lead the country in tackles with 114 in his senior year. Add three sacks, 12 tackles for a loss, and five pass deflections to that in his senior year. He graduated after 4 years with a degree in criminal justice.
Professional career
EFL career
Keïta played four seasons for the Buckeyes before declaring for the 2023 EFL draft. He went undrafted due to a perceived lack of commitment to the sport and was picked up as an UDFA by the San Antonio Wolfpack although he never saw the field for the side. The Wolfpack released him before the 2024 season
DSFL career
After a few months of working out with the Tijuana Luchadores Keïta declared for the 2025 (S10) DSFL draft.
Professional career statistics
Come back to this later
Achievements and records
Come back to this later
