3. Jay Tufele, USC
Size: 6-2. 305
The Good: An ultra-quick, ultra-cranked up playmaker who has a fantastic combination of strength and explosion. He was great at getting into the backfield from his spot in the interior and had to be accounted for by every blocking scheme.
While he’s not massive, he’s got the athleticism and smoothness to his game that lets him get around just about everyone. Lumbering guards are dead when he gets a first step.
No, he’s not going to be your anchor and brick wall run stuffer, but that’s fine. He’ll pull his weight against the run.
They thought I was done, took it further than they could ever imagine!! ✌🏾#JUSTGETTINGSTARTED pic.twitter.com/lxMT4cNyJx
— 🇼🇸jay Tufele🇦🇸 (@tufele123) March 25, 2021
The Not-So-Good: You’d like your tackle taken in the top 50 picks to be a bit bulkier. He’s certainly strong enough, but he’s not a massive body who’ll occupy blockers and be a brick wall against the run.
There might be a little more time and experience needed to his game after opting out last season. He was just growing into a superstar after his sophomore year, and now he’s got to kick it back in.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: Oh will he be fun. He’s hardly the perfect NFL defensive tackle, but he was always moving and always doing something interesting in his first two seasons. You’ll need to surround him with run stuffers, but if you want a guy who can move and set a tone on an athletic line, he’ll be fantastic.
Projected Round: Second