Written by Kyle Crabbs

Games watched: Penn State (2019), Wisconsin (2019), Purdue (2019), Georgia Southern (2019), Iowa (2019), Wisconsin (2021), Ohio State (2021), Iowa (2021)

Balance: His raw ability to redirect his frame and work back across challenges into gaps is significant, especially when factoring in how much mass he needs to account for. There are natural leverage limitations baked into his game as a result of his frame, but you don’t see very many defenders roll up underneath his pads and rock him back onto his heels; he’s got too much raw power and core strength. More likely to see lapses with overextending and getting his pads too far out overtop of his knees due to discipline.

Pass Sets: His ability to snap out of sets is impressive, but his vertical sets are going to be challenged by more explosive rushers. His raw size and frame will bake in enough margin for error for him to cover basic errors or even mistimed releases, however. Teams who implement a lot of quick timing will love him, however—his short sets should wall off rushers and he’s capable of enveloping pass rushers to prevent them from getting their hands up to deflect passes.

Competitive Toughness: Love how active he has shown himself to be on the backside of plays and his range and effort here really flash. So, too, does his nose for dropping hands of rushers and getting bodies onto the ground. He’s got some relentlessness to him when he’s able to generate movement on the A-level of the defense and he’ll throw you out of the club if you’re not disciplined to extend and get a stack on his blocks.

Lateral Mobility: Is he the most fluid athlete in the history of the game? No, he’s certainly not. But 400-pound men aren’t engineered to move like this. Relative to his peers, he’s only above average to win with quickness and redirection skills. But when you grade him on the curve, he’s a pretty terrific athlete. Has shown some rotational hip mobility to cross face on blocks and work into a favorable position to win gaps despite lacking pre-snap leverage.

Length: See Above.

Football IQ: See Above.

Hand Technique: Offers plenty of stickiness to his hands when he first lands blows, and if he’s able to latch on you in the run game, Faalele isn’t going to be dropping off the block. As a finisher on the edge versus power rushes, he’s shown an effective snatch move to drop hands and bodies. Needs to work on strike placement consistency and punching down onto defenders will always pose some challenges in clean fits—plus his timing to greet rushers entering his area can offer him even more improved play on the edge.

Anchor Ability: Good luck. Even with natural leverage, defenders don’t stand a chance with converting speed to power or trying to play through the frame to collapse angles and reach the quarterback. There’s simply too much mass here to move and when you add in some of the nimble feet that flash on film, he’s got a base that is dynamic enough to reset against power rushers who can generate an initial bit of push.

Power at POA: See Above.

Versatility: Not sure I’d like him anywhere else other than tackle. He’s probably raw and new enough to the position that you could transition him to left tackle if necessary or in a pinch, but playing him inside feels like a losing battle given the length of his punch, the irregularities to his game as a new player of the game, and the speed and quickness of which interior action takes place. Swing value isn’t great, but it is covered by his ceiling as a starter.

SCOUT GRADES

TDN Consensus: 79.17/100 (Third Round Value)

Crabbs Grade: 80.50/100

Marino Grade: 80.50/100

Harris Grade: 77.00/100

Sanchez Grade: 77.00/100

Weissman Grade: 80.50/100

Parson Grade: 79.50/100