The Utah graduate transfer defensive lineman certainly cuts an imposing figure. He's also been out of football for a while, has battled a difficult foot injury and steps into a position group at Nebraska that is longer on options than most other spots.
Vainuku was part of the Utes' 2012 class and then began a two year LDS mission. He returned to school but suffered a lisfranc injury -- the kind that has derailed many careers across many sports -- that held him out all of 2015. He played sparingly in 2016 and then retired in 2017 due to continued struggles.