Former Arizona offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea was selected 37th overall by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the NFL Draft at Lambeau Field in Green Bay on Friday.
Miami traded up to the No. 37 pick and dealt the 48th, 98th, and 135th picks to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Savaiinaea became the second Wildcat drafted this year, joining wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who was drafted eighth overall by the Carolina Panthers on Thursday.
It's the first time Arizona has produced multiple picks in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft since running back Trung Canidate (St. Louis Rams) and wide receiver Dennis Northcutt (Cleveland Browns) led the UA's five-player draft class in 2000.
Savaiinaea is the fourth player in Arizona history to be drafted by the Dolphins, joining defensive tackle Lionel Dotson (2008), linebacker Brant Boyer (1994) and running back Greg Boyd (1973).
Arizona offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea (71) hoists the cup after the Wildcats won the 97th Territorial Cup 59-23 road win over rival ASU on Nov. 25, 2023, in Tempe.
Savaiinaea played three positions on Arizona’s offensive line between 2022 and ‘24. In three seasons at Arizona, Savaiinaea played 2,418 snaps — including 1,057 at right tackle, 985 at right guard and 345 at left tackle, according to Pro Football Focus. The Tafuna, American Samoa native allowed eight sacks and five quarterback hits in three seasons, per PFF.
Savaiinaea took over at left tackle in 2024 once redshirt freshman Rhino Tapa’atoutai suffered a season-ending leg injury, but Savaiinaea missed the season finale against ASU due to a leg injury; he played the previous 36 games.
After Savaiinaea declared for the NFL Draft, he attended the Reese's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, where he played both tackle and guard.
Savaiinaea unofficially recorded the third-fastest 40-yard dash time (4.95 seconds) for offensive linemen at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Savaiinaea finished behind Georgia center Jared Wilson (4.84) and Missouri tackle Armand Membou (4.91) for the 40-yard dash. Savaiinaea tied for the second-best 10-yard split time at 1.72 seconds.
Arizona offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on March 2, 2025.
Savaiinaea was one of five offensive linemen to record a sub-five-second 40-yard dash this year. He didn’t do bench press.
The 6-4, 324-pound Savaiinaea is projected to play guard in the NFL, but can play tackle in a pinch. His 34⅝” arm length was tied for the fifth-longest measurement among tackles at the Senior Bowl — longest for interior offensive linemen.
Miami's expected starters at tackle are Austin Jackson, a three-year starter at right tackle, and left tackle Patrick Paul.
Arizona offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea awaits the snap of the football during the Wildcats’ win over Utah on Sept. 28 in Salt Lake City.
Savaiinaea will be a part of an offensive line unit protecting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Both Savaiinaea and Tagovailoa played at Saint Louis High School in Honolulu. Tagovailoa's last season at Saint Louis was in 2016. Savaiinaea's final season was in 2021, before he signed with Arizona in 2022.
Arizona had four NFL Draft picks in its 2022 recruiting class: Savaiinaea, McMillan, wide receiver Jacob Cowing (San Francisco 49ers) and tight end Tanner McLachlan (Cincinnati Bengals); Cowing and McLachlan were drafted last year.
Other former Wildcats who could conceivably get drafted are kicker Tyler Loop and running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt. Day 3 of the NFL Draft (Rounds 4-7) begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday on ESPN and NFL Network.
