Washington DT Vita Vea mocked 2018 NFL Draft 1st round

The 2018 NFL Draft is loaded with running backs and quarterbacks. So the availability of blue chip defensive linemen Vita Vea from Washington will no doubt draw early interest, many expecting his name to be called in round one.

Washington Football defensive tackle Vita Vea is not your prototypical defensive tackle. He is not simply a big body whose forte is immobility. Nor is he a svelte “high motor off the edge” kind of guy. So what does he bring? Well for the simple fact that he is a dominating defensive lineman entering the NFL in a year with more talent and depth in other positions, he is a short supply in a high demand profession this season.  So it’s no wonder that Mel Kiper has mocked Washington defensive tackle Vita Vea to the Dallas Cowboys at number 18.

In fact, it is simply a reiteration of a first round projection ESPN used all season of forecasting Vea’s NFL impact. He was mocked in round one at the start of the 2017 season.

Let the bidding begin

And that could be the end of it.  After all, he is a 6-foot-5 340 pound behemoth with the wisdom of a sage and the football IQ to rival most NFL quarterbacks. He doesn’t just push offensive linemen around, but he knows where he wants to push them as the play unfolds in front of him. And then he forces them there.  He is the personification of defensive havoc, the type of player who singlehandedly blows up the line of scrimmage.

He can be fooled once, but don’t expect him to be fooled twice. And throughout his time with the Washington Huskies, he displayed incredible versatility as he lined up at virtually every defensive line position.  And once there, he produces in a big way. So far, he is projected to the Dallas Cowboys at 18 by Mel Kiper. But the Washington Redskins, selecting at 13, have a huge need for a big bodied interior defender. And if Vea falls to them, he would be an absolute steal, even at 13.

Vea has earned plenty of respect

Defensive lineman Vita Vea was never annointed as a starter upon arriving to Washington. From day one, he had to earn his playing time, and he did so with proficiency and passion. But it was during his junior season where it all “clicked” for him, and suddenly it was less about moving mountains and more about disrupting plays.

He chalked up plenty of tackles, but he had a knack for blowing up plays with utter devastation and disruption.

Mister Disruption

And he did plenty of disruption

His numbers simply improve each season. But It’s not just mocks and analysts hype for the stout defensive lineman. The bottom line is that he works hard because that is simply who he is. He is self motivated to excel. Still, he does not seek the spotlight, but he does not shy away from it.  You see, he is a man who measures his words, speaks respectfully, and plays with intense passion. His teammates, coaches, and opponents definitely noticed.

Morris Trophy winner and respect of his head coach

He makes play after play, and does so at a comfort level which makes it seem all too easy for the bystander. But he doesn’t do so nonchalantly. He buries himself in the upcoming game, following video analysis and then training in the needs for his next opponent. He does not shy away from the hard work, but uses each new challenge to set an even higher bar for himself.

Solid reputation

He’s been accumulating a solid reputation over the course of his NCAA career. Even as a sophomore, many feared that he might enter the 2017 NFL Draft. But he returned for his third season, and that may have propelled him into a top-10 position in the upcoming 2018 NFL Draft. His head coach, Chris Petersen, certainly believes he is deserving.

And Coach Petersen does not waste nor mince words.

Strengths

Listing the strengths of Vita Vea can take up quite a bit of time. Of course, there are basic “gotta haves” with a defensive tackle, and Vea scores highly in all areas. But  first and foremost, we need to assess his ability to impact the course of a game.

He can. Dramatically. After all, he has the range and speed of a good linebacker. And as FanSided’s With The First Pick Jon Dove points out, Vea has the stamina and impact to remain on the field on all downs.

Sideline to sideline

As NFL.com’s Chad Reuter noted in discussing Vea while listing him as 17th best NFL prospect for 2018:

"“Vea can chase to the sideline at 340 pounds, and I’ve seen him make plays on the punt coverage team,” Reuter continued. “He’s willing to eat two blockers inside, as well. His play can run hot and cold, but he has the potential to be a force at the next level.”"

For a big man, he dashes all over the field. His size at 6-foot-5 and 340 pounds gives him enough versatility to play either nose tackle or defensive tackle. While he could even slide out to defensive end, his ability to collapse a pocket makes him a very intriguing player to fill a nose tackle role in the NFL.  CBSSPorts.com Chris Trepasso Trapasso calls him the strongest prospect in the entire draft class and a “man among boys”.

The ability to change a game on one play

Vea has the ability to block a punt, and has faced and gotten the better of four offensive linemen in one play. That’s game changing stuff, and he can alter the course of any contest out of nowhere. And while he holds the line for the Washington Huskies, do not ignore his ability to rush the passer.  Washington’s scheme places the interior linemen in a role to contain the opposing quarterback. But even with two blockers on him, he has sacked the passer nearly ten times, 3.5 times in 2017 alone.

Man among boys

But the true value of Vea is his measurables,
so lets assess specific traits.  Vita Vea has tremendous push from the snap, and is
incredibly gifted at pushing his opponent towards the quarterback.  That works in his favor in two ways. First, it disrupts the play. But secondly, it clogs up the offensive backfield, minimizing their ability to make something from nothing.

Anchors the defensive line

Chris Trapasso goes on to say:

"“Vea is the defensive tackle who’ll anchor against a double team, throw an offensive lineman to the side and make an impact tackle near the line of scrimmage.”"

In short, he anchors the defensive line like no other in this 2018 NFL Draft class.  You can see it in virtually every game film of the Washington defense. The presence of Vea on the defensive line forces the offense to go elsewhere.

Field Awareness

While Vita Vea demonstrated all these traits in just his first two seasons, his true growth in his junior year came in the area of field awareness. He became aware of what the entire defense was trying to do on each play. And in that sense of football IQ, he elevated his game accordingly. He didn’t just shed blockers, he maneuvered them to clog up the offensive backfield. He didn’t try to commit to either of his two-gap responsibilities, he held his ground and forced offense to move around him.

While that limited his individual statistical performance, it certainly became one of the leading reasons the Washington Husky defense was one of the  most stout in the nation.  While he led on the field, he demonstrates maturity and wisdom off the field as well. And it’s that humility and soft-spokenness which truly stands out for me.

Weakness

The typical scouting reports will check the typical boxes for needs improvement with hand usage, pass rush, and quick pressure. But the Washington Huskies suffered a number of injuries throughout the season, and two starting cornerbacks were lost as the season wore on.  To compensate, the Huskies leaned more and more to three man pass rushes and dropping eight back in coverage. That 3 vs. 5 set the stage for Vea to encounter plenty of offensive linemen on his way to the quarterback. But moreso, Vea continued to be tasked with sustaining his position at the line of scrimmage. In short, sacking the quarterback continued to be a secondary role for the big defensive tackle.

But when he got the green light, he did more than just bull rush. He developed a nice swim move as well as a spin move on his way to the quarterback. But he does get locked in with blockers. There were plays when he did not seperate and got washed into the wave of offensive bodies coming at him. He stood in the path of multiple offensive players on almost every down. Sometimes the offense won.  But more often than not, it was Vea who pushed back. In the end, this 2018 NFL Draft has plenty of running backs and quarterbacks. If my NFL team needs defensivel linemen, and Vita Vea is on the  draft board in round one, I’m screaming at the monitor for his name to be called.  He is already being compared to Haloti Ngata.  And from what I’ve seen, it’s a fair comparison.