Malaki Te'o brings downhill linebacker toughness and special-teams value to Coastal Carolina
Te'o is a compact, physical linebacker whose best traits are run support, pursuit, and disruptive motor: after 49 tackles, 3.0 sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and an interception in 2024 at College of San Mateo, he entered Coastal Carolina as a junior and played in 10 games in 2025, though his box-score impact was limited to two unassisted tackles. He stands out more for play style than stat-sheet volume — aggressive, contact-seeking, and battle-tested — which makes him a fit for teams needing a tone-setting linebacker who can hit, chase, and contribute on special teams.[3][5][1]
