Hercules Mata' Afa DE Washington State

Originally posted by NYniner85:

Originally posted by IdahoNiner:
I think he ends up going mid/late 1st. Someone is going to love this kid enough to take him in the 1st.

wow I feel like that's pretty generous...I like him a lot but he's a bit of a tweener and the combine will be big for him. Where he played in college isn't where he will play in the pros and there's not much film to go off there.

I see him as a top 100 pick, love the motor and get-off. WSU has him listed at 6-2 252 but a lot of people are saying he's more 6-1 240.

I mean where does he line up? He didn't play the edge in college, I see him having a similar role to Ngakoue in this scheme (that would be best case).

have Solly play base LEO then push him inside on passing plays then throw Mata'afa to that LEO position. could be pretty sweet.

Originally posted by IdahoNiner:
I agree 6-0/6-1 240 looks to be more accurate. I think by the combine he will be bulked up above 250, as he wont wont to weigh in less than that.

I think he is a Dumervil clone. I think that comparison was spot on.

Originally posted by NYniner85:

Originally posted by IdahoNiner:
I agree 6-0/6-1 240 looks to be more accurate. I think by the combine he will be bulked up above 250, as he wont wont to weigh in less than that.

I think he is a Dumervil clone. I think that comparison was spot on.

Yeah I agree that's a good comp, I will say Elvis had a good college career as well and ended up as a 4th rd pick.

Originally posted by IdahoNiner:

Originally posted by NYniner85:

Originally posted by IdahoNiner:
I agree 6-0/6-1 240 looks to be more accurate. I think by the combine he will be bulked up above 250, as he wont wont to weigh in less than that.

I think he is a Dumervil clone. I think that comparison was spot on.

Yeah I agree that's a good comp, I will say Elvis had a good college career as well and ended up as a 4th rd pick.

Yea, right now most would have him as a late second rounder i would think.

I have watched a lot of this kid, as its a local team, and like i said, he is a stud man. If he has a solid combine showing i think he sneaks into the first.

Often my draft positions clash with experts, as i go off gut on where i feel their talent places their value. I don't think its as strong a class on paper as Dumervils class, so IMO someone will fall in love with him and snag him late in the first. He should be in play after 20 or so.

Originally posted by wailers15:

Originally posted by IdahoNiner:

Originally posted by NYniner85:

Originally posted by IdahoNiner:
I agree 6-0/6-1 240 looks to be more accurate. I think by the combine he will be bulked up above 250, as he wont wont to weigh in less than that.

I think he is a Dumervil clone. I think that comparison was spot on.

Yeah I agree that's a good comp, I will say Elvis had a good college career as well and ended up as a 4th rd pick.

Yea, right now most would have him as a late second rounder i would think.

I have watched a lot of this kid, as its a local team, and like i said, he is a stud man. If he has a solid combine showing i think he sneaks into the first.

Often my draft positions clash with experts, as i go off gut on where i feel their talent places their value. I don't think its as strong a class on paper as Dumervils class, so IMO someone will fall in love with him and snag him late in the first. He should be in play after 20 or so.

correct me if i'm wrong but doesn't he have the tendency to fade away real quick? IDK but it seems to me since the Cal game he went MIA? I know he had a good game vs Utah, but in the big games to me he fades off into the bushes? Dude is talented no doubt.

Originally posted by NYniner85:

Originally posted by IdahoNiner:
I agree 6-0/6-1 240 looks to be more accurate. I think by the combine he will be bulked up above 250, as he wont wont to weigh in less than that.

I think he is a Dumervil clone. I think that comparison was spot on.

Yeah I agree that's a good comp, I will say Elvis had a good college career as well and ended up as a 4th rd pick.

Originally posted by WRATHman44:

Mata' Afa has a better 1st step, imo. It's crazy how he explodes off the snap.

Originally posted by NYniner85:

Originally posted by WRATHman44:

Mata' Afa has a better 1st step, imo. It's crazy how he explodes off the snap.

No doubt, the combine will be big for him. If he's coming in at 240 Lbs where do you play him?

Originally posted by T-9ers:

Bruschi was able to lose weight and transition to LB because of a high football IQ. He would have never made it as a 3-tech in the nfl. Do you see Mata'afa as someone with the iq and instincts to do what Bruschi did?

Originally posted by strickac:

They have similar size. He's appears more athletic than Brusci was. That said, moving from DE to ILB is a strange move and not one you can really predict. Hercules could play OLB, no doubt. Brusci could've stuck at OLB too, but NE had him roam the middle and sent him as an extra rusher often.

Hard to compare them really. Brusci was a sack monster at DE in college, but he started out as a LB. We haven't seen what Hercules can do as an edge rusher yet.

Originally posted by 49erBigMac:

Originally posted by SmokeCrabtrees:

Any comparison to TJ Watt? Clay Matthews?

Not really, they were already predominantly edge guys in college, obviously has their motor. Teddy Bruschi in college comes to mind, where he transitions to in the pros will be interesting.

I think Wash St were selfish not to line him up in a position he could play in the pros for a year. Colleges do it all the time to help their prospects, and it's not like they were going to win anything.

Originally posted by strickac:

3-4 OLB could be a good fit for him early on. I don't think SAM is out of the question, but he would need to add some weight. I see him standing up in the pros and coming in as an extra pass rusher on passing downs.