John Daka facts for kids
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Daka with the Houston Roughnecks in 2023
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| Position: | Defensive lineman |
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| Personal information | |
| Born: | December 7, 1997 Upper Marlboro, Maryland, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight: | 240 lb (109 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. |
| College: | James Madison |
| Undrafted: | 2020 |
| Career history | |
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| Roster status: | Reserve/suspended |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Player stats at PFR | |
John Daka (born December 7, 1997) is an American professional football player. He plays as a defensive lineman, which means he tries to stop the other team's offense. John played college football at James Madison University. He made history as the first player with Zambian family roots to sign with a National Football League (NFL) team.
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College Football Journey
John Daka chose to go to James Madison University for college, even though bigger schools were interested in him. In his first two years, he was still getting started. He made 23 tackles and had one sack.
But then, John really shined in the 2019 season! He became one of the best players in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). He led the entire FCS with 16.5 sacks and 28 tackles for loss. A "sack" is when a defensive player tackles the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage. A "tackle for loss" means tackling a player who has the ball before they can gain any yards. Because of his amazing performance, he was named to the All-Colonial Athletic Association first-team.
During his time at James Madison, John played in 51 games. He made a total of 137 tackles. He also had 47.5 tackles for losses, 27.5 sacks, and caused six fumbles. He even recovered one fumble and broke up four passes.
Playing Professional Football
After college, John Daka began his journey in professional football. He has played for several teams in different leagues.
Baltimore Ravens
In 2020, the Baltimore Ravens signed John Daka. He joined them as an undrafted free agent. This means he wasn't chosen in the main NFL draft but was still signed by a team. He was with the Ravens for a short time before they made their final team roster.
New York Jets
In early 2021, John signed a contract with the New York Jets. This type of contract is called a "reserve/future" deal. It means a player signs for the next season before the current one ends. He later left the team in May 2021.
Los Angeles Rams
Right after leaving the Jets, John was picked up by the Los Angeles Rams. This happened through a process called "waivers." He stayed with the Rams until August 2021.
Chicago Bears
In January 2022, John Daka joined the Chicago Bears. He was signed to their practice squad. A practice squad is a group of players who train with the main team but don't usually play in games unless someone gets injured.
Houston Roughnecks
Later in 2022, John was drafted by the Houston Roughnecks. This team was part of the XFL, another professional football league. In 2024, the XFL and another league, the USFL, joined together. They formed a new league called the United Football League (UFL). The Roughnecks team brand was then moved to the Houston Gamblers.
St. Louis Battlehawks
In January 2024, John was chosen by the St. Louis Battlehawks in a special draft for the new UFL. He signed with the team soon after. However, he was released from the team in March 2024.
Toronto Argonauts
In April 2024, John Daka signed with the Toronto Argonauts. This team plays in the Canadian Football League (CFL). The CFL is a professional football league in Canada. He was later placed on a reserve/suspended list. This means he was temporarily not playing for the team. He was released from his contract in September 2024.
