Originally posted by Heroism:I've been keeping away from this thread, but Mata'afa is a big-time draft crush of mine. I need this guy to be at least 6'2" 245 lbs at the combine and put up electric numbers in the 3-cone and short shuttle that match his tape. He's right there with Jeff Holland as one of my favorite edge players in this draft. His motor and explosiveness are special. No edge rusher has the short-area quickness that Mata'afa has.
One of the difficulties with evaluating Mata'afa is that sparsely played edge, which is his NFL position, but when he did play there, the edge talent jumps off the screen. Dipping and ripping with easy bend--in both his hips and ankles--to run the hoop for Mata'afa. Toes point right at the QB once he's got the corner:
Active hands, easy-bend, and ability to flatten. ✅✅✅ A little hand swipe+swim combo to beat the tackle's punch, create space and capture the edge:
Would love to get him. Wonder if there's any chance he lasts till our 2nd pick?