Washington RB Wayne Taulapapa declares for 2023 NFL Draft

Former Washington and Virginia running back Wayne Taulapapa officially declared for the 2023 NFL Draft, he announced on his Twitter page on Friday evening. He shined in his only season with the Washington Huskies this year, putting up the best numbers of his college football career. Taulapapa racked up over 1,000 all-purpose yards and 12 total touchdowns.

Check out his tweet below.

Always been a dream chaser.. so why not me 🃏 Grateful for each of you and the love and care I received both from my UVA and UW family🤍 CFB has been nothing but good to the kid from La’ie, Hawai’i! With that being said Big Pâpa // Samoan Släsher out 🔚🕛 #2023NFLDRAFT pic.twitter.com/8qGOJdICbs

— Wayne Taulapapa (@WayneTaulapapa) January 6, 2023

His announcement reads: “Talofa,”

“I wanted to start out by thanking our heavenly father for blessing me with so many amazing opportunities and long lasting relationships through this beautiful game of football. To my coaches, teammates, donors, UVA community, and Washington Husky Nation, thank you for taking a chance on the kid from La’ie, Hawaii. None of this would be possible without your care and guidance both on and off the football field. Thank you for setting me up in a constructive environment that allowed me to excel as a student-athlete. None of this is possible without your efforts.”

“To my family, thank you for believing in me. You have stuck by my side every step of the way and I cherish each of the memories and the examples you have set for me which has ultimately shaped my character and my why. To my parents, I am so grateful for your endless sacrifices to ensure my success. You are the reason I continue to fight and I will continue to work to make you proud.”

“From the very beginning, I fell in love with this game, it has always been my dream to be a professional football player and there were many points in my life where I felt this dream was unrealistic. However, because of each of you, I am now in a position where this dream can become a reality.”

“I owe it to myself and my people to pursue this dream to the very end. With that being said, after a lot of important conversations and careful prayer I have decided to declare for the 2023 NFL Draft. –Wayne Taulapapa.”

More on the 2023 NFL Draft

The 2023 NFL Draft is set to take place from Thursday, April 27 through Saturday, April 29 in Kansas City, Missouri. The event will be held at the plaza just outside of Union Station.

Round 1 of the NFL Draft is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Apr. 27. Rounds 2-3 will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Apr. 28, and Rounds 4-7 will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Apr. 29. The draft will be broadcasted throughout the weekend on both ESPN and NFL Network.

To be eligible for the NFL Draft, players must be at least three years removed from their final year of high school while having used up their collegiate eligibility. Underclassmen are able to request league approval to become eligible for the draft, as are players who have graduated prior to using up all of their collegiate eligibility. 100 underclassmen were approved for last year’s draft. 73 of those 100 underclassmen were granted special eligibility while 27 of them were underclassmen who had completed their college degrees.

The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine will take place from Feb. 28 through March 6 in Indianapolis.