Mike Tafua NFL Draft 2022: Scouting Report for Utah LB

HEIGHT: 6'3"

WEIGHT: 249

POSITIVES

— Above-average first step at the snap.

— Good hands versus the run. Consistent punch allows him to control blocks.

— Moments of great upper-body strength. Knocks blockers back from time to time.

— Effective setting the edge.

— Decent flexibility and balance when working around blocks in the run game.

NEGATIVES

— Physicality and energy comes and goes.

— Does not attack around the edge very well. Bend does not show up as well as it does versus the run.

— Does not have the lower-body strength to consistently drive blockers back.

— Range and movement in space is average at best.

2021 STATISTICS

14 G, 48 TOT, 13 TFL, 9.5 SK, 3 PD, 1 FR, 1 FF

NOTES

— 3-star recruit in 2018.

— Three-and-a-half-year starter.

— 2021 first-team All-Pac 12.

OVERALL

Mika Tafua is a strong, crafty defensive end prospect whose ceiling is limited by an uninspiring athletic profile.

Tafua played both with his hand in the dirt and from a stand-up position at Utah. He was sometimes even moved around as a creative blitz piece in certain packages.

Tafua flashed a decent first step as a pass-rusher, especially when he was allowed to play with his hand in the dirt. He also flashed decent quickness to beat tackles with a stutter-step or inside move. However, the rest of his pass-rushing arsenal is lackluster. Tafua does not attack the edge with much burst or bend, nor does he show consistency in his hands when engaging with offensive tackles more directly.

As a run defender, Tafua holds up better. He shows off good upper-body strength, both in his initial punch as well as his ability to take control of blocks from there. That, combined with decent arm length, allow him to set the edge effectively as well. Tafua's speed and energy in space can be lacking, especially on plays away from him, but he is reliable enough when plays are headed his way.

Tafua will enter the NFL with passable run-defense skills and some pass-rushing traits—namely the explosiveness he showed on film—worth trying to develop. With that said, he tested quite poorly at his pro day and it's fair to assume his ceiling may not be as high as others in his class. Tafua will likely max out as a rotational player, but his run-defense ability could earn him some time off the bench early on.

GRADE: 5.9 (Backup/Draftable - 6th-7th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 238

POSITION RANK: EDGE27

PRO COMPARISON: John Simon

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen