Tag: Taliese Fuaga

Jets on hand at Oregon State OT Taliese Fuaga’s Pro Day

Oregon State held their Pro Day on Monday and the Jets were one of the teams in attendance, presumably taking a look at OT Taliese Fuaga.

While all eyes were on NFL free agency with the legal tampering period beginning on Monday, Oregon State held its Pro Day, and the Jets were on hand, presumably to see top offensive tackle prospect Taliese Fuaga.

According to Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network, there was a “big time turnout” for the Oregon State Pro Day. Fowler noted that the Jets’ offensive line coach – he didn’t specify whether it was Keith Carter or assistant offensive line coach Ben Wilkerson – was among those in attendance.

Along with the Jets, the Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, and Denver offensive line coaches were there as was Philadelphia’s Senior Director of College Scouting and Carolina’s Director of College Scouting. In total, 28 teams made the trip to Corvallis.

In what could be a historically deep offensive tackle draft class, Fuaga is among the best. In Daniel Jeremiah’s recent Top 50 big board, Fuaga came in as the ninth-best prospect overall and the top offensive tackle.

At the NFL Combine, Fuaga measured in at just under 6’6″ and weighed 324 pounds. He posted an elite Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.44 out of 10, which included a 32-inch vertical and a 9’03” broad jump. Fuaga ran a 5.2-second 40 as well.

Fuaga played over 1,500 snaps over the last two seasons, all of which came at right tackle. During that span, he allowed no sacks and just 23 total pressures. Fuaga also had the best run-blocking grade in 2023 at the tackle position.

For more on Fuaga’s game, here is what Jeremiah said in his pre-draft report:

“Fuaga has outstanding size,” wrote Jeremiah, “power and balance for the position. He lines up at right tackle, but I believe he could play on the left side if necessary. In pass pro, he has quick feet out of his stance and is explosive with his punch. He stuns rushers, stays attached and is always on balance. He is aware versus games and blitzers.

“In the run game, he is dominant. He uncoils out of his stance to strike and remove defenders over his nose. He creates movement on down blocks and always looks to finish. He is surprisingly nimble to reach and cut off on the back side. He takes good angles working up to the second level and made several de-cleating blocks against linebackers in the games I studied.”

It’s no secret that the Jets have a massive need at the tackle position–with at least one starting spot up for grabs and potentially two if Alijah Vera-Tucker ends up as a guard. To some degree, they will address the need in free agency but will likely be heavily invested in the position during the first round of the draft.

With the Jets holding the 10th overall pick, landing Fuaga is very much in play for them, depending on how many tackles are taken in the first nine picks and how those tackle-needy teams view Fuaga, Joe Alt, and Troy Fautanu.

Safety Kitan Oladapo, defensive back Ryan Cooper, and running back Deshaun Fenwick are three other Oregon State players that NFL personnel departments were likely there to check out as well.

Along with the 10th pick in the draft, the Jets hold the 72nd overall selection in the third round, with two fourth-round picks and eight picks overall. In terms of draft capital value, they rank 22nd in the NFL.

Breaking down Chargers’ pick in Dane Brugler’s latest mock draft

The Chargers trade back in Dane Brugler’s latest mock draft.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler released his latest mock draft on Tuesday.

Let’s break down what one of the highly touted draft analysts thinks for Los Angeles in the 2024 NFL draft after the NFL Scouting Combine.

Round 1, No. 9, OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State (via Bears)

Brugler included a few trades in this mock draft, including the Chargers, who moved back four spots with the Bears. Chicago jumped up to grab Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze. In return, Los Angeles acquired a third-round pick (No. 75 overall) and a 2025 fourth-round pick.

The Bolts selected Fuaga at No. 9 overall to take over as the team’s starting right tackle. Jim Harbaugh has a vision of running the ball, and they need road graders up front to make it come to fruition. Fuaga is a massive man with the power and plus run-blocking skills.

Joe Alt has been the commonly mocked player to the Chargers at No. 5 overall, but I believe that if they want to address the offensive line, they’re better off trading down to get a true right tackle, like Fuaga or Alabama’s JC Latham and acquiring more draft ammo.

7 realistic options for the Seahawks in Round 1 of the 2024 NFL draft

Who should they pick, then?

The Seahawks are clearly thinking of drafting a quarterback this year. At the Scouting Combine they met with several high-end prospects, including JJ McCarthy from Michigan and Heisman-winner Jayden Daniels from LSU. Odds are neither one of them are going to be available when it comes to be Seattle’s turn to pick in the first round of the draft, though.

Let’s see if we can zero in on some more realistic targets. To do that, let’s begin by eliminating the guys who are most-likely to be unavailable. Here are the 15 players we expect to be off the board when the Seahawks are on the clock at No. 16 overall.

  • USC QB Caleb Williams
  • LSU QB Jayden Daniels
  • North Carolina QB Drake Maye
  • Michigan QB JJ McCarthy
  • Oregon QB Bo Nix
  • Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
  • Washington WR Rome Odunze
  • LSU WR Malik Nabers
  • Notre Dame OT Joe Alt
  • Penn State OT Olu Fashanu
  • Georgia TE Brock Bowers
  • Alabama CB Terrion Arnold
  • Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell
  • Alabama EDGE Dallas Turner
  • Texas DT Byron Murphy II

There are also a few positions which the Seahawks should probably be ignoring in the first round, regardless of how promising any one prospect might look. That includes wide receiver and cornerback, two positions where they are loaded and also used first-round picks on last year. They should also pass on guards in Round 1, even though that is arguably their biggest roster need right now. Unless they can take over at one of the tackle spots some day Seattle should hold off picking a guard until Day 2.

Other positions to ignore in the first round based on their relative value are linebacker, safety and tight end.

Who should they pick, then?

Our best hope is that they’ll use their first round pick on either the best lineman available or on the quarterback who’s best suited to run their offense. With those things in mind, here are the seven most realistic prospects to be taken by the Seahawks at No. 16.

Dolphins will have plenty of offensive line options in draft

The combine showcased a number of offensive linemen that could make perfect Dolphins.

The 2024 NFL Scouting Combine has concluded after a week of measurements, interviews, evaluations and on-field workouts of top prospects. NFL coaches and general managers will now take all their notes and the film that comes with it as they construct their updated draft boards before late April’s annual selection meeting, otherwise known as the NFL Draft.

Coinciding this week with the deadline to designate potential franchise tag players, the Dolphins have a lot of due diligence ahead, as this is a massively important draft for the franchise and general manager Chris Grier.

With the recent news that they won’t utilize a franchise tag on defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, Miami and Grier may have to look to other markets to replace the 2019 13th overall pick. Whether that’s the draft or free agency is yet to be determined, but should Wilkins walk in free agency, Miami must do whatever they can to fill those cleats.

Regardless of the defensive line and the Wilkins drama, the combine featured outstanding prospects on the opposite side of the line, that being offensive. With Miami also not guaranteed to re-sign right guard Robert Hunt or center Connor Williams, the Dolphins have major needs within the offensive trench. Further adding to this would be the often-injured veteran, yet elite when available left tackle, Terron Armstead.

So, one could argue that heading into the free agency period and even the draft, Miami could be very much in need of one or two starters on the line and an insurance policy as well, should Armstead return for 2024.

Looking at the crop of prospects this weekend, many linemen caught the national eye while doing their drills and speaking to the media. Most notably, Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson, who arguably has been the most talked about non-skill position player dating back to even the Senior Bowl.

Even on Monday morning on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football, Peter Schrager expressed his thoughts on what could be a generational class of offensive linemen.

“My big takeaway from the 2024 Combine is that it’s the greatest offensive line draft class we’ve seen in some time… maybe ever. There are twelve- yes, twelve- guys who I could see get taken on Day One,” Schrager said.

This could be music to Dolphins fans’ collective ears, as many have been banging the drum for a dominant offensive lineman, especially in the middle at center.

Beyond Powers-Johnson, another interior lineman making waves is West Virginia’s Zach Frazier.

Frazier could be a fine fallback should Powers-Johnson be selected before Miami’s first-round pick at No. 21. Their second-round pick at No. 55 is an area to focus on guys like Frazier, and even Kansas State’s Cooper Beebe could be options should Miami not get a first-round lineman.

Another name to watch if Miami opts to go another way in the first round would be guard Christian Haynes from UConn, who even played a bit of center during the Senior Bowl.

Back to those potential Day 1 selections, Miami will not have a chance at the top tier like Joe Alt of Notre Dame, and it looks like Taliese Fuaga of Oregon State, as well as Troy Fautanu of Washington, raised their stock with their combine performances. Fuaga is definitely a top-20 pick, and if Fautau is available at No. 21, Miami must strongly consider.

So, if the Dolphins are focusing on a top-tier lineman at No. 21, there very easily could be five to seven of these guys selected before Miami gets a chance to make a pick. Add in names like Georgia’s Amarius Mims, Alabama’s J.C. Latham and Penn State’s Olumuyiwa Fashanu, and that number of 12 names referenced by Schrager for Day One offensive linemen, could hit.

Moreso in Miami’s exact range in round one could be Graham Barton out of Duke. Barton had a Combine Total Score of 87, which ranks him first in that metric and Production Score of 81. He ranked third in Athleticism Score. Barton projects as a late Day-One pick, and Miami could even be in trade-down territory should the above names all be gone by No. 21.

Should Miami entertain a trade back to the mid or late-20s, Barton and Oklahoma Sooner tackle Tyler Guyton could still be there. He could be an option with his ability to play left should Armstead call it a career. Even if Armstead returns, Guyton is a player who could learn from the veteran and, of course, provide sporadic starts. In a pinch, he could play the right side as well.

It seems like there are a very safe 10 names that could be Day One offensive linemen selections, and should teams react to these players flying off the board, you never know if another surprise name or two moves from Day Two to top-32 as the evaluation process continues into March.

Make no mistake; the Dolphins have plenty of needs, especially with the potential of players not returning, so these next several weeks of preparation are extremely important and significant for this franchise’s immediate and foreseeable future.

Breaking down Rams’ picks in Touchdown Wire’s latest 2-round mock draft

Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar released a 2-round mock draft after the combine, fortifying the trenches for the Rams

It’s anyone’s guess as to which position the Los Angeles Rams will address first in this year’s draft. Cornerback and edge rusher are two of their biggest needs, but the Rams have also expressed interest in wide receivers and could use offensive line help, too.

In Doug Farrar’s latest mock draft for Touchdown Wire, the Rams address the O-line first and also add a pass rusher with their second pick. In Round 1, they land Taliese Fuaga out of Oregon State.

Round 1, Pick 19: OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State

Though he played right tackle in college, he’s a candidate to move to guard, which would help the Rams immensely if Kevin Dotson leaves in free agency. Even if Dotson returns, Fuaga would be a solid swing tackle initially before eventually getting a crack to replace Rob Havenstein as the starting right tackle.

Fuaga tested extremely well at the combine for a 6-foot-6 and 324-pound tackle. He ran a 5.13 in the 50-yard dash and posted a 32-inch vertical, showing off the athleticism that will make him a first-round pick.

Round 2, Pick 51: OLB Marshawn Kneeland, Western Michigan

In the second round, the Rams add Marshawn Kneeland out of Western Michigan. The edge rusher is 6-foot-3 and 267 pounds, and he ran a 4.75 in the 40-yard dash. He fits best as a stand-up edge rusher in a scheme like the Rams’, with his 1.66-second 10-yard split showing the type of burst he has off the line. He’s plenty explosive, too, as evidenced by his 35.5-inch vertical.

With the Rams needing an edge rusher to pair alongside Byron Young, Kneeland would be a good selection in Round 2, though it’s possible the Rams would be able to get him a little bit later if they wait.

Chargers post-2024 NFL Scouting Combine 4-round mock draft

The Chargers trade back eight spots and end up with six picks in the first four rounds.

This year’s NFL Scouting Combine has come and gone, with those who performed well skyrocketing up draft boards while those who had a week to forget fade into obscurity.

Here are my four-round projections following the event.

6 standouts from OL workouts at 2024 NFL Scouting Combine

Offensive linemen were in the spotlight on the last day of workouts at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine.

Testing offensive linemen at the NFL Scouting Combine can often feel like a silly exercise. How much does it actually matter if a team’s guard can run 40 yards in 4.9 seconds instead of 5.1?

But there’s also little doubt that the athleticism of NFL offensive linemen has continued to progress over the decades. It’s not a coincidence that Trent Williams has parlayed the freakish combo of size, speed, and strength that he showed off at the 2010 combine into 11 Pro Bowls.

With Jacksonville Jaguars offensive line coach Phil Rauscher on the field for drills, the next generation of linemen worked out at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday.

Here are the six players who stood out most on the final day of workouts:

Daniel Jeremiah talks tackle options at No. 10 in draft for Jets

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah talks tackle options at No. 10 in draft for Jets

When it comes to the NFL Draft, there aren’t too many in the business better at covering the event than NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah. This week, DJ had his conference call with the Scouting Combine just a few days away and he dove into a plethora of topics, including the New York Jets with the No. 10 pick.

Jeremiah was asked about the offensive tackles and who realistically could be available when the Jets are on the clock with the 10th pick. There are already a few names at the top floating as potential options: Notre Dame’s Joe Alt, Penn State’s Olu Fashanu, Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga and Alabama’s JC Latham.

Jeremiah does not believe Alt will be available for the Jets at No. 10 as he is “the cleanest of the bunch.” He also thinks Fashanu will “probably be gone” so the decision may come down to Fuaga or Latham for the Jets.

“Fuaga is a really, really clean player for me,” Jeremiah said about the Oregon State product. “He has played on the right side. I don’t see really why you would want to move him. I think he is a plug-and-play as a right tackle. He could play guard if you needed him to, but just really consistent. Quick feet. Really explosive and dynamic when he gets into guys. He has some nasty to him. Plays with good temperament.” Fuaga is DJ’s No. 2 offensive lineman.

Latham is Jeremiah’s fourth offensive lineman. He has toruque and power but had issues with some stunts and twists, in Jeremiah’s opinion.

Sure enough, in his latest mock draft, Jeremiah has the Jets taking Fuaga at No. 10 with both Alt (No. 5 to Chargers) and Fashanu (No. 7 to Titans) both off the board.

2024 NFL mock draft: Offense dominates in first round

There are quarterbacks, receivers and hog mollies aplenty in our opening first-round mock draft.

Well, let’s take our first shot at this, shall we?

Here are our first set of projections for the first round of the 2024 NFL draft:

New mock draft has Steelers trading up for OT

This new mock draft has Pittsburgh moving up in the first round.

The Pittsburgh Steelers could face some serious decisions when they go on the clock in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. This team has several key roster needs and after the success of the 2023 draft, expectations are high for general manager Omar Khan.

CBS Sports put out a new mock draft and we were excited to see what direction the Steelers went. Then we were even more curious when we saw the Steelers traded up.

And then we saw they traded up to draft an offensive tackle and our excitement faded. They have the Steelers trading up to select Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga. Here’s what they had to say about the pick:

Pittsburgh can ill afford to wait until its first pick to see if an offensive tackle is still available. Especially with Cincinnati and Los Angeles ahead of Mike Tomlin’s team. The Steelers move up to take Taliese Fuaga, who should be an impactful bookend opposite Broderick Jones for many years.

The author doesn’t offer up the terms of the trade that allowed the Steelers to move up from 20 to 16 so this move might not be bad at all. Fuaga is a great prospect and if the Steelers can get him without giving up a second-round pick in this same draft, we fully endorse it.

But there are plenty of great prospects who came off the board after the No. 20 pick who will be just as impactful and not cost another pick in the Top 50.

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