A mammoth blocker who is an excellent athlete for his size, Minnesota’s Daniel Faalele will look to bring his unique physical skill set to the next level as he enters the 2022 NFL draft.
Here is everything you need to know about the Golden Gophers massive offensive tackle prospect:
Vitals
Height: 6-8
Weight: 387
Class: Senior
Strengths
Players of Faalele’s size and stature usually are assumed to be immobile as pass-blockers, but he allowed just eight pressures and one sack in all of 2021. That should put to rest the notion that he’s inferior in pass blocking, and his tape proves it.
Simply by being 6-foot-8 and nearly 400 pounds, Faalele has the automatic upside of being impossible to move. Defenders simply do not have the required strength to go through him, and must go around him, leaving bull rushers with no chance. His arm length and athleticism makes that much easier said than done, too. He boasts 35-inch arms with 11-inch hands that make it simple for him to use his athleticism to reach and halt any outside speed rushes when he gets off the snap quickly enough.
His quick first step off the snap is impressive for his size, launching him back in pass sets and setting him up to rip down pass rushers. Faalele has a good understanding of assignments, and does a good job of using his inside arm to feel for interior pressure while keeping his eyes focused on the outside rusher.
In the run game, Faalele is a valuable weapon, manhandling his opponent with incredible strength that doesn’t release or allow any sort of push into the ball carrier. His mass and athleticism create a natural push at the line, allowing him to continue that momentum forward and create big holes for running backs behind him. He will consistently drive linemen back through the whistle, and finish his blocks.
Weaknesses
Faalele is still relatively new to football, so there are holes…