Alameda Eperu Ta'amu (born August 23, 1990) is a former American football nose tackle. He played college football at Washington. He was selected in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. High school career Born in Alameda, California and raised in Kent, Washington, Ta'amu attended Rainier Beach High School in Seattle, Washington, where he was a two-way lineman and ranked as a four-star recruit by Rivals.com. He also had success as a shot putter. College career 2008 Ta'amu played in all 12 games as a true freshman with five starts in 2008. One of 12 true freshman to see playing time, Ta'amu made a season high six tackles versus UCLA. He finished the season with 21 tackles. 2009 As a sophomore in 2009, Ta'amu again played in all 12 games, and he had 11 starts. He had a season high five tackles at Arizona State. He finished the season with 19 tackles, 4.5 for loss, and 2.5 sacks. 2010 In 2010, Ta'amu started all 13 games at defensive tackle in what would be his breakout season. He was a key factor in getting the Huskies back to a bowl game, with a season high seven tackles at Oregon and matched that total versus UCLA. During the 2010 Holiday Bowl, he had a 10-yard sack and 14-yard fumble return. Ta'amu finished the season with 39 tackles, 5 for loss, and 1.5 sacks and earned honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors. 2011 As a senior in 2011, Ta'amu started all 13 games at defensive tackle and was named a team captain prior to the start of the season. In the Apple Cup rivalry game against Washington State, Ta'amu had four tackles, with 2.5 for loss that included two sacks. Ta'amu ended his senior season as an all-Pac-12 honorable mention selection. For the season, Ta'amu had 30 tackles, including 3.5 sacks out of 7.0 total tackles for loss. Professional career 2012 NFL Draft Regarded as one of the few two-gap nose tackles, Ta'amu was projected as a third-to-fourth round draft pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com, however, described Ta'amu as "a pass rushing three-technique stuck in a zero-technique's body," who "struggles to hold his ground at the point of attack". The Pittsburgh Steelers nevertheless traded its number 6 pick to move up 10 spots in the fourth round to select Ta'amu with the 109th pick of