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 on December 7, 1997, is an American professional football player. He plays as a defensive lineman. This 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 join a National Football League (NFL) team.
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College Football Journey
John Daka went to James Madison University for college. Even though other big schools were interested, he chose James Madison. In his first two years, he had 23 tackles and one sack. A sack is when a defensive player tackles the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage.
Becoming a Star Player
John really shined in the 2019 season. He led the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) with 16.5 sacks. He also had 28 tackles for loss. A tackle for loss means stopping an offensive player behind where they started. Because of his great 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 137 tackles in total. He also had 47.5 tackles for losses and 27.5 sacks. He helped defend against passes four times and forced six fumbles. A forced fumble is when a player knocks the ball out of an opponent's hands. He also recovered one fumble.
Professional Football Career
After college, John Daka started his professional football journey. He joined several teams, trying to make his mark.
| Height | Weight | |||||||||||
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| 6 ft 1+3⁄4 in (1.87 m) |
227 lb (103 kg) |
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| Values from Pro Day | ||||||||||||
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens signed John Daka on May 6, 2020. He joined them as an undrafted free agent. This means he wasn't chosen in the main NFL draft. However, he was later released by the team on August 31, 2020.
New York Jets
On January 12, 2021, John signed a contract with the New York Jets. This was a "reserve/future" contract, which means it would start in the next season. But he was released by the Jets on May 3, 2021.
Los Angeles Rams
The very next day, on May 4, 2021, the Los Angeles Rams picked up John Daka. They claimed him off waivers. This means they took his contract after another team released him. However, he was released by the Rams on August 31, 2021.
Chicago Bears
On January 6, 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 team but are not on the main roster.
Houston Roughnecks
On November 17, 2022, John was drafted by the Houston Roughnecks. This team was part of the XFL football league. Later, 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
John Daka was chosen by the St. Louis Battlehawks on January 15, 2024. This happened during a special draft for the new UFL. He officially signed with the team on January 23, 2024. However, he was released from the team on March 10, 2024.
Toronto Argonauts
On April 29, 2024, John Daka signed with the Toronto Argonauts. This team plays in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He joined them as a defensive lineman. On May 12, 2024, he was placed on the reserve/suspended list. He was later released from his contract on September 16, 2024.
