SS Talanoa Hufanga Thread

He is definitely a football player and playmaker. The question I have is if he is simply a tweener. Not enough speed for safety, not enough size for a linebacker.

they kept talking about his instinct and if his instinct is supposed to compensate for his lacking speed and size, makes me wonder if he's like that one season of Chris Borland, able to just be at the right place and time

Originally posted by KittleMeThis:
I'm calling this one the steal of the draft

Yep. I love this pick!!!

Originally posted by KittleMeThis:
I'm calling this one the steal of the draft

This might shape up to be the Niners usual 5th round steal.

Originally posted by Ensatsu:

Originally posted by KittleMeThis:
I'm calling this one the steal of the draft

This might shape up to be the Niners usual 5th round steal.

Yup. Wait till you guys hear or see interviews with him. His personality is contagious. I freaking love this pick and can totally see him replacing Tartt next season

dude is a heat seeking missile and will ruin your day

Originally posted by davide49:

Originally posted by Rikimaru03:

Originally posted by hondakillerzx:

Originally posted by Rikimaru03:
I trust defensive players from usc. I'll take it!

Ehhh, what was that LB/safety from USC that Singletary or Harbaugh took in the 2nd? Dude did nothing

We don't talk about that

Lol Taylor Mays.

He was super fast, an athletic freak. Just not a great football player.

this guy is total opposite.

I remember Taylor Mays ran in straight lines, usually in the wrong direction.

Is it racist I'm hoping he turns out like Troy P from Pittsburg?

And yes, I know he's Tongan, not Samoan.

Originally posted by Oakland-Niner:
Is it racist I'm hoping he turns out like Troy P from Pittsburg?

And yes, I know he's Tongan, not Samoan.

He's Polynesian from USC playing safety and is known more for his instincts than his measurables... dont think it's a stretch.

Seemed like Lynch and Kyle really high and giddy on this guy during their presser.

Originally posted by Bloodless:
He is definitely a football player and playmaker. The question I have is if he is simply a tweener. Not enough speed for safety, not enough size for a linebacker.

We loved him at SC.... when he was able to be on the field. Injuries have been his main issue. Never saw him get "outrun" on the field, so, football speed was never a concern.

however, that's college. Speed can still be an issue in an NFL setting. He did well as an in the box safety. If the 49ers play him as a true strong... could see starting action. I'm thinking he's a special teams guy and and will backup the two very injury prone safeties currently on the roster.

Originally posted by mayo49:
bust

This is very uncharacteristic of you

Originally posted by Mertonschickendance:

Originally posted by pasodoc9er:
Damn, it just keeps getting better....and not just a backup or rotational pick but a true shot at starting. Surely will push for the starter at S. Love it.

I know we got another pick but i quit...just too much good the last three days. Jeez our guys, JL/Peters/Kyle did a great job. I was worried they hadnt' spent enough time on picks 2-7....boy was that wrong. I liked 'em all and the order in which they came. A+ Our best draft ever, man for man.

Can you expand on why u like each of the picks? Thanks!

Sure and will start with Qb...i was good with any of the 3, and thot maybe Jets might take Fields on a long shot but nope.
Not in order but:

Mac jones....thot that was our pick at #12 and would be solid QB. Not my idea of two firsts and a third. At #12 tho, okay. So he was out, just based on picking #3.

Fields...huge talent, huge arm, but we have been snakebit by medical stuff and set record for most guys on IR and PUP, last yr after 5 Awful, ugly yrs of medical before that. . And with the hx of epilepsy, until i hear that a neurologist who specializes in epilepsy gave this the go ahead, it was absolutely not going to be Fields. Eliptologists, specialized neurologists...i never heard from them anything like that. I wondered why he one day fell off the chart. Maybe because that info HAD come out ? IDK, but it sure as hell scared me. Terrific talent nonetheless. Hope I'm wrong about the epilepsy, because I'd love to see him play. Not if it is inimical to his health, however.

That left Trey , undoubtedly the best athlete of the bunch with supposedly a photographic memory. Problem there is he played 4 yrs of high school ball, his first football ever, and then 1 yr at a class 1 or 1A school ...that's it. Way, way too green. At least 1, maybe 2 yrs away from starting. But with JG here...a great pick.

I took none of the above, just would have been happy with any...but with medical or actual value in draft, Fields and Mac were out.

Rds 2-7. Below were my position picks. And beside them who we did take, their position and their school.

Rd2 IOL. Aaron Banks, IOL. N.D.
Rd 3 CB. Trey Sermon, RB. Ohio St. a real out of character move by kyle who previously took only 7th round RBs, UDFAs or walmart parking lot guys
Rd 3 (4). IOL. Aubrey Thomas CB. Michigan.
Rd 5 CB. Jaylon Moore OT. Western Mich.
Rd. 5 IOL. Deo Lenoir. CB Michigan
Rd 5 Slot Corner. Tal Hufanga.S USC
Rd 6. RB. Eli Mitchell. La-Lafayette.

So i got the order slightly wrong, but they picked BPA so that's understandable. , ie a CB before an OT Aubrey before Jay Moore. But we got 2 CBs, 2 OLs, a Safety . Only thing i and probably everyone else missed on was a RB in Rd 3. I figured a RB at end of draft and we got 2 but i didn't pick in rd 7
And wouldn't you know...our traditional RB.

Any previous drafts i have missed by a mile. Here, JL and KS filled basically all our holes and made the OL go from pathetic to really promising adding in the re-signing of big Trent, and FA Mack That gives us Trent. Laken. Mack..Banks..McG and then upgrades significantly over skule, garland. Plus we have Brun who can play all 3 OL positions. The OL is the part i was happiest about . Next were the corners and safety, The rd 3 pick of Sermon, RB, was a shocker but maybe, just maybe actually burning a high pick on a RB will get us a talented AND healthy one...for a change.

I had the right idea thruout tho and am just thrilled our guys filled the holes. Really excited about Banks, tho as he allowed either no sacks (or 2) i forgot.
However, he is a better run blocker , zone no less , than he is in pass pro, and nobody' goes thru him. Even better he is an agile 330, with great feet. The hands too wide, occasional bad angles...that can be taught. So A+++ on this pick and check out his film ...Awesome. Same for Jaylon Moore.

Also note ...we hit Michigan hard plus N. Dame, and USC. All big time football schools. Disappointing that there were no SEC picks however but that's minor.
Unsaid, of course , is that we got our FR QB and the best of the lot (considering all factors of health and drat position value pre draft) It will be at least a yr until he is ready tho, and perhaps longer. But talentwise? Outstanding. Also if JG goes down with injury we finally got some talent to replace him...and we could still make a run for a SB win.

apologies for the length, but ...you asked.

OLB depth

Originally posted by pdizo916:

Originally posted by mayo49:
bust

This is very uncharacteristic of you

LOL I guarantee that Mayo has never seen him play or knew anything about him until he was picked. Calling him a bust at this point is just so stupid.