Daniel Faalele NFL Draft Prospect Profile and Scouting Report
NDL Draft Profile: OT Daniel Faalele, University of Minnesota
By Jack Gerak
Name: Daniel Faalele
School: University of Minnesota
Year: Sr
Position: Offensive Tackle
Measurables: 6’8”, 387 lbs.
Stats:
N/A
General Info:
Daniel Faleele is easily the largest player in this draft class, and when drafted, he will be among the largest players in the NFL. The 22-year-old was born in Melbourne, Australia, and he was recruited to play offensive line at IMG Academy, a high school in Florida that continually produces NFL talent. Though he had only learned the sport a year before, he was an instant starter when he joined the team in 2017. He decided to commit to the Minnesota Gophers to play offensive tackle over other schools, including the likes of Alabama, that offered him scholarships. Among the four-star prospect’s accolades are two honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference selections. Having opted out of his junior season, Faalele has played three college football seasons.
Positional Skills:
Strengths
Faalele possesses an impressive ability to use his size to his advantage. His film shows that he is more than capable of using his length to keep edge rushers outside in pass protection. It is evident that his hand strength is well above average, as he punishes grown men at the line of scrimmage in the run game. His 11-inch hands prove useful in pass protection as well, where he is often able to stun defenders with his initial punch.
Weaknesses
Mobility may be a concern for some when it comes to Faalele. While his mobility is above average for a player of his size, it remains to be seen whether he is athletic enough to keep up with NFL-caliber athletes. Given that he has only played the sport for 5 years, inexperience may also be considered a weakness for Faalele.
Fit with the Packers:
Green Bay’s offensive line is full of “utility players”, who are competent at multiple positions. Many of their tackles, like Billy Turner, can play guard as well and vice versa (Elgton Jenkins). What they do not have is a dominant right tackle to compliment David Bakhtiari. Faalele, a projected late second-round pick, is a low-risk, high-reward selection for the Packers. If he does not succeed, Green Bay can continue to use their flexible players where they need them the most, keeping Billy Turner at right tackle. If Faalele does succeed, however, the Packers could move Turner to right guard instead of Royce Newman or Lucas Patrick, improving their “Best 5”. Daniel Faalele has the potential to plug a hole in the Packers’ offensive line that has been present since the departure of Bryan Bulaga.
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Comments (8)
MarkinMadison
February 20, 2022 at 07:58 pm
It's like spending a second-round pick to get Yosh Nijman, when you already have Yosh Nijman, and he has finally developed.
LLCHESTY
February 20, 2022 at 08:53 pm
Big nope for me. He doesn't fit into an outside running team. I like the Smith kid from Tulsa. The big thing with him is getting him to stop trying to maul guys on every single play. Nice problem to have.
MrFitz66
February 20, 2022 at 11:26 pm
The Packers offensive line is in great shape and a real strength of this team. A big body, that can move is needed on the defensive side of the line, spend a high pick there.
Festvangelist
February 21, 2022 at 08:51 am
At this point it is hard to predict what Draft Capital the Packers will have in 2022 and 2023 until we know if Aaron and or D.Adams are traded.
There are a few uncertainties with our O- line with our current salary cap situation. Additionally I am concerned about David B. knee recovery. When the Doctors are draining fluid from the knee almost weekly a year after surgery but the knee is “structurally sound” that makes me question whether he will be back 100% or back period. Hope he comes back but nobody outside o the Packers, the medical staff and Baktaiari will know for a while.
HarryHodag
February 21, 2022 at 11:30 am
When the Badgers played Minnesota this guy stood out from the other linemen. Keep in mind the other players are in the 6'5, 315 range. He is massive. But he wasn't the most athletic tackle I've seen. A guy like Joey Bosa would streak past him without too much struggle.
When the Packers drafted Tony Mandarich they thought he would destroy defensive ends and linebackers. He was massive. In practice, linebacker Tim Harris made him look like a fool. Harris was past Mandarich before he was barely out of his stance. In the NFL quickness is key. The tackle needs to do a kick-out with his feet to keep the rusher from getting around him. Even at this size, Faalele would need a lot of work. If he dropped some weight it might help his quickness. Kelly is as tall as he is but has quick feet.
beefeater
February 21, 2022 at 01:02 pm
Very informative piece
Turophile
February 21, 2022 at 06:09 pm
Not for the Pack, Jack.
Almost every year there is the odd huge guy that gets drafted high. Bryant McKinnie, Mekhi Becton, Aaron Gibson. All first round picks, all 350+ and all disappointments considering where they were drafted. Faalele will no doubt fall into the same group.
Once you get much above 320 lbs, you get plenty of problems. Knees wear out real fast, players become too stiff to bend and can no longer play at a high level. They usually have problems with speedy pass rushers, as well. Other health problems can kick in (remember Korey Stringer, a Vikings 350lb tackle who died of heatstroke after practice).
My advice is to ignore any player over 330lb. They MIGHT be viable if they were heavier at college but slimmed down in their final year(s), but even then you have to be pretty sure they are going to keep to their lighter weight and not slip back in a year or two.
I don't hate on Faalele the person, but I do hate his weight at almost 390lb. There always seems to be a team who thinks they can make a monster of an O lineman out of a massive guy, but............................buyer beware, especially when a scout tells you "but this guy is different". He's probably wrong, because they said similar things about each of the above players. "Look at Aaron Gibson, says the scout, he can do the splits at 380lb (or was it 390)".
Ryan Pickett, B.J.Raji and Gilbert Brown were some of the bigger guys the Packers had and were all popular with fans. While they weren't stellar, they did do a pretty good job on the D line. Raji was about 333lb and faded fast after a good start, Brown varied from 330-350 and Pickett was about 340-350 and both had surprisingly long careers. These days coaches generally want slightly lighter interior linemen (like about 320 lbs), with more speed and stamina.
Monsmoy
February 22, 2022 at 09:48 am
I want to like the guy, as a foreigner making it in the NFL, but something gets in the way. It may simply be that to have a mountain on the right with a right handed QB is not great, or simply that the best end/outside pass rushers will expose him. What I do know is that with our current cohort of linemen, Turner is likely to be a cap casualty and Dennis Kelly is as good at RT. If we are not flush with picks from a AR12 trade, then I question if GBP will take a RT earlier than a Pass Rusher or CB (or even a WR!).