Saturday Blitz
Fansided

2018 NFL Draft: Vita Vea’s physicality unparalleled among draft class

By Andrew Miller

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 04: Washington defensive lineman Vita Vea (DL22) runs in the 40 yard dash at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 4, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 04: Washington defensive lineman Vita Vea (DL22) runs in the 40 yard dash at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 4, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The defensive tackle class for the 2018 NFL Draft is a bit thinner than in most years, outside of Washington football product Vita Vea.

More: 2018 NFL Draft preview, player profiles and latest mock drafts

Washington football is about to lose a key piece of their defense that could make them a lot weaker up the middle in 2018. That key piece is defensive tackle Vita Vea, who anchored the Huskies defensive line the last three seasons. He decided to declare for the NFL Draft a year early, after the Huskies fell short of their second consecutive PAC-12 Championship, and College Football Playoff appearance.

As the far and away top ranked defensive tackle in the 2018 NFL Draft class, Vea could end up falling to a team early in the first round. Other defensive tackles that could be even considered in the realm of Vea include Alabama Crimson Tide product Da’Ron Payne and Florida Gators product Taven Bryan.

Strengths

A few of the aspects that makes Vea so attractive to NFL scouts includes his athleticism, power, and size. Vea is a strong presence in both run and pass defense. Any team that ultimately decides to take him in the first round gets a lineman that provides an immediate boost in the pass rush and against the run.

Vea will command a ton of attention from opposing offenses lines. He’s surprisingly quick for his size, but needs to get some consistency with his motor. There were some times that he showed slower speed off the line later in games.

The fact that some team will get a chance to nab a rookie that has the combination of the physical tools necessary to succeed in the NFL, along with the strength and versatility to anchor any defensive line, is too special for numerous franchises to pass on. Vea drew comparisons to that of former Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata already.

Weaknesses

The stat line did drop off a bit for Vea in 2017, but that could be due to an increase in focus on keeping him blocked and double teamed. UW’s defensive line had less depth to it in 2017 than it did the previous year. That likely hurt Vea’s overall body of work.

Next: 5 players to watch this Spring for Washington Football

Draft expectations

Vea does have the potential to be an immediate force at the professional level. There’s no doubting his raw skill and ability as a top-tier defensive tackle. Some work on conditioning and adjustment to the NFL speed, and he’ll be well on his way to becoming not just one of the most overpowering defensive tackles in this class, but across the league entirely.

Projection: First round

Home/Washington Huskies