Height: 6-2   Weight: 310
College: University of Southern California
Position: G   No: 53

Born: 1/14/1984
Hometown: Wilmington, CA
 

Professional Career Highlights: The Detroit Lions chose Matua with their first of two seventh-round selections (217th overall) in the 2006 NFL Draft; has been a member of the practice squad for the Detroit Lions (2006), Cleveland Browns (2006), Tennessee Titans (2006 and 2007) and Washington Redskins (2008).

College Accomplishments: Matua teamed with Taitusi Lutui to form what many regarded as the best offensive guard tandem in college football in 2005; helped the Trojans ground game increase from 2,306 yards in 2004 to 3,380 yards in 2005;  2005 All-American second-team and All-Bowl Team selection by Rivals.com, and All-Pac 10 Conference second-team choice; started all year in 2005 at right offensive guard, helping the team lead the nation with 7,537 yards in total offense, the second-most by an NCAA Division 1-A team in a season; a 2004 Sophomore All-American first-team selection by College Football News; started all year at right offensive guard and made 71 knockdowns with eight touchdown-resulting blocks for an offense that generated 5,838 yards, including 3,532 yards passing; a Freshman All-American second-team pick in 2003 by College Football News.

Personal:  Made the 2001 Super Prep All-American, Prep Star All-American, Tom Lemming All-American, Super Prep All-Farwest, Prep Star All-Western Region, Long Beach Press-Telegram Best of the Rest, Tacoma News Tribune Western 100, Las Vegas Sun Super 11 honorable mention and Orange County Register Fab 15 second team as a senior two-way lineman at Banning High in Wilmington (Calif.); as a junior in 2000, he was named to the All-L.A. City second team, Long Beach Press-Telegram Dream Team first team and All-Marine League first team while getting 75 tackles, including 15 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and an interception; Banning won the 2000 L.A. City title; His uncle was a former 3-year (1990-92) letter winning USC offensive guard Titus Tuiasosopo, while another uncle, Navy Tuiasosopo, played offensive line at Utah State and later with the Los Angeles Rams, another uncle, Mike Tuiasosopo, is the defensive line coach at Arizona (he was a defensive tackle at Pacific Lutheran from 1985 to 1988), and a distant cousin, Manu Tuiasasosopo, was a 3-time All-Conference defensive lineman at UCLA (1976-78) who then played with the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers.