Sua Opeta Bio
Iosua Opeta, known professionally as Sua Opeta, is an American professional football guard who has spent time in the National Football League with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Born on August 15, 1996, in Bountiful, Utah, he played college football at Weber State before signing with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2019. Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and listed at 305 pounds, Opeta has built a career as an interior offensive lineman, contributing on both active rosters and practice squads throughout his professional tenure.
Early Life and Background
Sua Opeta was born in Bountiful, Utah, and raised in the United States. When he was eight years old, his family moved to Stansbury Park, the community where he would grow up and first develop as an athlete. He attended Stansbury Park High School, where he played both offense and defense, gaining versatility that would later help him adjust to multiple positions at the next level.
Opeta began playing organized football at the age of ten, and his high school experience laid the foundation for a college career. Although Southern Utah showed interest in recruiting him as a defensive lineman, he chose Weber State because the program offered him a clearer path to contributing on the defensive line. That decision set the stage for his development as a Division I FCS-level prospect.
Path to American Football
Opeta’s path to professional football began in earnest at Weber State, where he spent five seasons with the Wildcats. He redshirted as a true freshman, preserving a year of eligibility, and then played defensive tackle during his redshirt freshman season. During the following offseason, the Weber State coaching staff moved him to the offensive line, where he was promised a starting role. The position change became a defining moment in his career.
In his first year as an offensive lineman, Opeta earned honorable mention All-Big Sky Conference recognition, signaling his rapid development at the new position. He went on to be named an FCS All-American twice and was selected to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, an all-star game that showcases draft-eligible seniors. Those honors reflected a steady climb that prepared him for a professional opportunity despite not being selected in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Sua Opeta Career
Early Career (2019–2020)
After going undrafted in the 2019 NFL Draft, Sua Opeta signed with the Philadelphia Eagles for training camp, where he impressed during offseason workouts. At the NFL Scouting Combine, he completed 39 repetitions of 225 pounds on the bench press, the highest total among all offensive linemen tested that year. That showing helped solidify his standing as a priority undrafted free agent.
Opeta spent the first 12 weeks of the 2019 regular season on the Eagles’ practice squad before being promoted to the active roster on December 3. The following year, he was waived at final roster cuts on September 5, 2020, signed to the practice squad a day later, elevated to the active roster for the season opener against Washington, and promoted to the active roster on September 15. He appeared in games that fall before a November 28 placement on injured reserve ended his 2020 season.
Philadelphia Eagles First Stint (2019–2023)
Opeta’s first extended run with the Eagles came in 2021, when he was waived at final cuts on August 31, re-signed to the practice squad the next day, and promoted to the active roster on September 29. He continued to develop as a versatile interior lineman, providing depth at both guard and center while contributing on special teams.
In 2022, Opeta played in seven games for Philadelphia, including work as a starter in some contests, before being made a healthy scratch for the Week 17 game against the New Orleans Saints. He was waived on January 6, 2023, prior to the season finale against the New York Giants, and returned on a reserve/future contract on February 15. That offseason deal kept him in the Eagles organization heading into 2023, and he remained a recognizable depth piece on the offensive line throughout that period.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Era (2024–2025)
On March 15, 2024, Opeta signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, opening a new chapter in his professional career. The move gave him a chance to compete for a larger role on a different offensive line, but his season was cut short on July 31, when the team announced he had suffered a torn ACL in practice. He was placed on injured reserve two days later, ending his 2024 campaign before it began.
Opeta re-signed with the Buccaneers on March 25, 2025, signaling the organization’s continued belief in his recovery. He was released on August 26 as part of final roster cuts, re-signed to the practice squad on September 18, and released again on October 7. His time in Tampa Bay reflected both the volatility of NFL roster cycles and his resilience through injury.
Philadelphia Eagles Second Stint (2025)
On October 22, 2025, Opeta returned to the Philadelphia Eagles when he was signed to their practice squad. The move reunited him with the organization that originally brought him into the league. He was released by the Eagles on November 3, concluding a brief second stint with the team that drafted him into professional football.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Opeta’s pre-draft profile came at the NFL Scouting Combine, where his 39-rep bench press set the top mark among offensive linemen. He was also a two-time FCS All-American and an NFLPA Collegiate Bowl participant at Weber State, and he earned First-team All-Big Sky Conference honors in both 2017 and 2018.
Sua Opeta Career Wins
Sua Opeta has built a professional resume as a depth offensive lineman, with consistent contributions on practice squads and spot starts at guard. Across his NFL career through 2024, he has appeared in 38 games with 10 starts, a record that reflects his role as a reliable reserve rather than a featured starter.
Big Sky Highlights
At the college level, Opeta was a two-time First-team All-Big Sky selection in 2017 and 2018, anchoring the Weber State offensive line during back-to-back strong campaigns. He also earned honorable mention All-Big Sky recognition in his first season as an offensive lineman, underscoring how quickly he adapted to his new position.
Sua Opeta Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Sua Opeta’s family background centers on his upbringing in Utah. He was raised in the Bountiful and Stansbury Park areas of the state, where he first encountered football as a ten-year-old.
Personal Life
Details about Opeta’s personal life, including marital status and children, are not widely reported in verified sources.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has been defined by roster movement for Sua Opeta. After re-signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in March, he was released at final cuts in late August, brought back to the practice squad in mid-September, and released again in early October. He then joined the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad on October 22 before being released on November 3, a sequence that illustrates the day-to-day volatility of the league’s bottom-of-roster players.
Through these transactions, Opeta has remained in professional shape and ready to contribute when called upon, even as his official game action in 2025 has been limited. His experience across multiple stints with the Eagles and Buccaneers has made him a familiar presence on practice squads around the league.
Looking forward, Opeta’s outlook depends on health and opportunity. Coming off a torn ACL suffered in 2024, his availability and performance in team settings will likely determine whether he secures another active-roster opportunity. His combine testing and prior game experience suggest he remains a candidate to latch on with a club in need of interior line depth.