It’s a big class of scouting reports from the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the 2022 NFL Draft, literally. Daniel Faalele tips the scales at well over 350 pounds and 6’8″; Boye Mafe presents massive upside from the edge. Mafe could be a first-round pick when it’s all said and done.
Minnesota 2022 NFL Draft Scouting Reports
In addition to Mafe and Faalele, the Gophers present options for a bevy of needy NFL teams at a slew of positions. Here are the full scouting reports from Minnesota with eyes toward the 2022 NFL Draft.
Blaise Andries, OL
Positives: Massive college lineman who plays with great power. Explosive at the point, blocks with proper lean, and squares into opponents. Quickly sets up in pass protection and anchors at the point. Attacks assignments and goes after opponents. Blocks down on defenders and engulfs them from the action. Keeps his feet moving and opens up lanes as a run blocker.
Negatives: Struggles to adjust. Must do a better job sinking his butt and be more consistent bending his knees. Stiff and falls off blocks.
Analysis: Andries is a powerful small-area blocker and a power gap lineman with an upside. He must improve his blocking fundamentals and flexibility if possible to play at the next level.
Boye Mafe, LB
Positives: Athletic, intense college pass rusher who can line up in a three-point stance or stand over tackle. Agile, fast up the field, and displays tremendous speed and quickness off the edge. Bends off the corner, breaks down well, and relentlessly attacks opposing quarterbacks. Easily changes direction, gets into space, and makes plays against the run.
Displays an explosive first step off the snap out of a three-point stance, plays with tremendous leverage, and works his hands throughout the action. Effective rushing the passer when standing over tackle and displays the ability to pursue the action laterally. Moves well in space when dropped off the line on zone blitzes. Resilient.
Negatives: Controlled at the point by a single blocker or easily knocked from his angle of attack. Does not show great pursuit speed despite his 40 time.
Analysis: Mafe displayed a lot of development in his game the past two seasons and turned in three days of solid practice at the Senior Bowl. He’s a versatile front-seven defensive prospect with a large upside. If he continues to progress and receives proper coaching, Mafe will be a very productive player in the NFL.
For more information on Boye Mafe, visit his full scouting report
Boye Mafe, Minnesota DE | NFL Draft Scouting Report
Coney Durr, CB
Positives: Zone cornerback who does a terrific job reading and diagnosing plays. Keeps opponents in front of him and stays with receivers out of breaks. Fires upfield and gives effort defending the run. Quick flipping his hips in transition and displays a burst to the ball out of his plant as well as a sense of timing on pass defenses. Plays heads-up football and shows terrific awareness.
Negatives: Prefers to side shuffle downfield and must improve his backpedal. Not a stout tackler. Does not get his head back around or properly position himself against receivers so he can make a play on the ball.
Analysis: Durr has flashed ball skills, yet he’s a short cornerback who struggles making plays with his back to the ball. He offers possibilities in dime packages for a zone system or backed off the line of scrimmage, but Durr must play well on special teams in the summer.
Connor Olson, OL
Positives: Versatile offensive lineman who can be used at center or guard. Explosive, strong, and possesses a solid build. Stays square and battles with his hands throughout the action. Drives defenders off the line and gets movement run blocking. Sinks his butt at the line of scrimmage, blocks with leverage, and shows outstanding vision. Keeps his head on a swivel and works well with linemates.
Negatives: Average athlete who is minimally effective blocking in motion. Bends at the waist and must sink his butt at the line of scrimmage.
Analysis: Olson was productive and durable for Minnesota the past three seasons. While he lacks great upside, he could end up as an inexpensive backup who can play any of the three interior offensive line positions.
Daniel Faalele, OT
Positives: Massive offensive tackle with the underlying athleticism to succeed at the next level. Keeps his head on a swivel, keeps his feet moving, and uses his hands to knock pass rushers from their angles of attack. Quick off the snap and stays square. Easily seals the edge and out-positions defenders from plays. Makes good use of angles in pass protection, easily engulfs opponents, and takes them from the action. Gets a lot of movement run blocking and drives opponents off the line of scrimmage.
Negatives: Must improve his blocking balance. Struggles to adjust and pick up the blitz. Seems very sluggish at times. Lacks quick and fluid footwork off the edge and shows limited lateral blocking range. Tipped the scales at 387 pounds during Senior Bowl weigh-ins and is much too big.
Analysis: When Faalele is in proper condition and under 350 pounds, he’s a force to be reckoned with at tackle, as he displays athleticism, agility, and the ability to overwhelm defenders. When he’s in excess of 370 pounds, Faalele looks off-balance and haphazard and gets beaten. He possesses a tremendous amount of upside, but Faalele must do proper things off the field and keep himself in proper condition 12 months a year.
For more information on Daniel Faalele, visit his full scouting report
Daniel Faalele, Minnesota OT | NFL Draft Scouting Report
Esezi Otomewo, DT
Positives: Tall, explosive defensive end with a large upside. Fires off the snap, plays with good lean, and flies up the field. Bends off the edge, works his hands throughout the action, and shows the ability to get outside the box and make plays in space.
Chases the action hard, stays with assignments, and does more than mindlessly rush up the field. Rarely off his feet and plays with balance as well as body control. Slides off blocks and gives effort defending the run.
Negatives: Lacks a burst in his game. Easily knocked from his angle of attack by a single opponent.
Analysis: Otomewo has shown a lot of improvement in his game the past two seasons and is developing into a complete defensive end. He possesses a nice frame as well as growth potential. As he physically matures, Otomewo will offer the versatility to line up in a variety of schemes.
Jack Gibbens, LB
Positives: Hard-working linebacker with marginal speed. Terrific run defender who is instinctive and quickly locates the ball handler. Fires up the field, plays with a nasty attitude, and works to finish off opponents. Displays good awareness in zone coverage.
Negatives: Possesses poor speed and shows no burst. Doesn’t get depth on pass drops or show the ability to make plays in reverse. Not a forceful blitzer.
Analysis: Gibbens is a hard-working prospect with limited athleticism and a lack of speed.
Micah Dew-Treadway, DT
Positives: Quick one-gap tackle who possesses an explosive first step off the snap, easily changes direction and gets down the line in pursuit of the action. Plays with good lean, keeps his feet moving, and works hard to make plays.
Negatives: Pops up out of his stance too often, plays tall, and makes himself an easy target for opponents. Rarely gets penetration if he does not get the first step on opponents. Must improve his fundamentals.
Analysis: Dew-Treadway flashed ability the past several seasons and has a next-level body. However, unless he learns to play with leverage consistently, he will have no future at the next level.
Nyles Pinckney, DT
Positives: Former Clemson defensive tackle who projects to the three-technique spot. Relentless, fires off the snap with a great first step, and plays with outstanding pad level. Keeps his feet moving, works his hands, and rarely gets knocked off his feet. Consistently gets leverage on opponents, easily changes direction, and immediately alters his angle of attack to get down the line in pursuit. Plays heads-up football and works to be productive.
Negatives: Lacks bulk and gets out-positioned from the action by a single blocker. Marginally productive throughout his college career.
Analysis: Pinckney is a quick, hard-charging defensive lineman with limited size and marginal growth potential. He’s a one-gap prospect whose quickness off the snap and ability to play with leverage are his best assets.
Sam Schlueter, OL
Positives: Massive offensive lineman who is effective in a very small area. Fires off the snap, blocks with leverage, and works to bend his knees. Strong in his lower body, keeps his feet moving, and easily turns defenders off the line to open up running lanes. Blocks with a nasty attitude and plays through the whistle.
Negatives: Lacks footwork in space and the ability to slide laterally. Lack of agility hurts his ability to finish blocks.
Analysis: Schlueter is a size prospect who was a solid college tackle, but he lacks athleticism and agility for the next level.