Talanoa Hufanga -Safety USC

Originally posted by Psinex:
He looks like a potential replacement for Tartt at strong safety. He's a monster when he plays at the line. How are his cover skills?

He's not going to be great at covering in the deep part of the field but everywhere else he will be just fine. He's instantly our best special teams player. I think Marcel Harris' job could be in jeopardy.

Originally posted by Waterbear:

Originally posted by Waterbear:
I'm not sure why we're not talking about this kid more. We could use help at Safety, he can rush the passer, he can cover, he can play near the line of scrimmage, I'm very impressed with him and we could probably draft him in the middle rounds. He just reminds me of another Fred Warner but at SS.

Originally posted by Waterbear:

Originally posted by Waterbear:
I'm not sure why we're not talking about this kid more. We could use help at Safety, he can rush the passer, he can cover, he can play near the line of scrimmage, I'm very impressed with him and we could probably draft him in the middle rounds. He just reminds me of another Fred Warner but at SS.

You called that 💧 🐻

very nice....Carmen Policy up in here

Watched the interview with the lad. Comes across as a lovely guy, and has the right motivations.

Watching the earlier video of his highlights, he looks quality. Makes me all the more confused...why is he a 5th round pick? I'm super lacking in knowledge about the draft. What differentiates him with say a 1st round safety?

Originally posted by Illgresi:
Watched the interview with the lad. Comes across as a lovely guy, and has the right motivations.

Watching the earlier video of his highlights, he looks quality. Makes me all the more confused...why is he a 5th round pick? I'm super lacking in knowledge about the draft. What differentiates him with say a 1st round safety?

Size, injury history, and (lack of) athleticism, namely speed

Originally posted by adrianlesnar:
Size, injury history, and (lack of) athleticism, namely speed

My main knowledge is football (soccer). While physique is obviously important, I can name numerous players where their ability outshines their physical prowess.

I understand the idea of the combine etc, but I wouldn't say it's particularly effective? How many times has a low round pick turned out to be a generational talent...or indeed a GOAT?

I saw him in a couple USC games last fall...he led the team in tackles with 70...in only 7 games, plus 4 picks. He definitely has a nose for the ball and can be a big hitter when the need arises. The fact he's been training under Polamalu means he understands how important it is to trust in someone who revolutionized the position. I think this kid has the stuff to make an impact.

Originally posted by Illgresi:
My main knowledge is football (soccer). While physique is obviously important, I can name numerous players where their ability outshines their physical prowess.

I understand the idea of the combine etc, but I wouldn't say it's particularly effective? How many times has a low round pick turned out to be a generational talent...or indeed a GOAT?

The NFL line of thinking tends to be a little bit out dates with regards to emphasis placed on size and athleticism, but in the end these are the best American foot ball players in the world. When we are talking about measured athleticism, we are talking about relative to their peers, and with the size and turnover of NFL rosters, this is a large sample size.

In the end, the draft is a gamble. You place your big bets on the bets that either push the odds most in your favor, or that offer the most unignorable payoff. Other bets do, of course, hit from time to time.

Originally posted by adrianlesnar:
The NFL line of thinking tends to be a little bit out dates with regards to emphasis placed on size and athleticism, but in the end these are the best American foot ball players in the world. When we are talking about measured athleticism, we are talking about relative to their peers, and with the size and turnover of NFL rosters, this is a large sample size.

In the end, the draft is a gamble. You place your big bets on the bets that either push the odds most in your favor, or that offer the most unignorable payoff. Other bets do, of course, hit from time to time.

That makes sense. There are so many many variables, and so many players in the draft (after the 1st round)...not to mention the fact that other teams are trying to take the best players. What a ridiculously hard job to make the picks...

Originally posted by frankieuc68:

Originally posted by Waterbear:

Originally posted by Waterbear:
I'm not sure why we're not talking about this kid more. We could use help at Safety, he can rush the passer, he can cover, he can play near the line of scrimmage, I'm very impressed with him and we could probably draft him in the middle rounds. He just reminds me of another Fred Warner but at SS.

Yeah he is solid....

Someone suggested that he could play Sam linebacker for the niners

Originally posted by Waterbear:

Originally posted by Waterbear:
I'm not sure why we're not talking about this kid more. We could use help at Safety, he can rush the passer, he can cover, he can play near the line of scrimmage, I'm very impressed with him and we could probably draft him in the middle rounds. He just reminds me of another Fred Warner but at SS.

Wow - good job

Originally posted by bassmanr:
Yeah he is solid....

"He's an old school bad ass"

Originally posted by Scorgasms:
Someone suggested that he could play Sam linebacker for the niners

If he's able to add about 24-30 lbs.... maybe.

Azeez Al Shaair made huge strides last year and finished strong. It's not going to be easy to supplant him if he continues playing the way he did towards the end of 2020.

I don't think Hufanga's weight will be what holds him back if he gets snaps at SAM. It's a stack LB position in this defense, so if he keys fast enough, his weight won't really matter too much. Telvin Smith played stack LB at a high level recently at 6'3" 215 lbs. The game has changed. It's all about keying quick and shooting gaps. But seriously, people spend too much time discussing SAM LB and the 2 snaps a game it gets.