PROSPECT SUMMARY - VAVAE MALEPEAI

Vavae Malepeai aligned at running back for the USC offense. He has average proactive athleticism with regards to his agility and body control. He is a downhill runner who won’t give you much elusiveness in space. However, he runs violently and is a contact seeker. He lacks value on passing downs, but will suffice in pass protection. He projects better as a core special teams player due to his physicality and toughness.

Ideal Role: Developmental practice squad player.

Scheme Fit: Power running scheme.

FILM EVALUATION

Written by Drae Harris

Games watched: Fresno (2019), Stanford (2019), Utah (2020)

Best Game Studied: Fresno (2019)

Worst Game Studied: Stanford (2019)

Vision: He runs with below-average vision. He doesn’t see cut-back lanes and is seemingly content with running downhill and straight ahead.

Footwork: His footwork is less than ideal. He is not a good athlete with regard to quickness and agility. As a result, his footwork leaves much to be desired.

Contact Balance: His contact balance is good. He does a good job of finishing runs and keeping his feet moving upon contact.

Durability: He is a tough and durable back. He runs physical between the tackles and has the physical physique to absorb contact.

Explosiveness: His overall explosiveness is average. He lacks elite, home-run speed. He also gives you no dynamic agility in space.

Versatility: He lacks true positional versatility. He is a running back only with limited upside on passing downs. He will give you some value on special teams.

Elusiveness: His elusiveness will not be a strong attribute for him. He is a downhill, north/south runner who doesn’t give you much in space.

Ball Security: He does an average job with ball security. There are not many instances of him putting it on the turf in college. However, he has moments of holding the ball loosely, which could be problematic in the NFL.

Passing Downs: He will struggle on passing downs in the NFL. He is sufficient in pass pro, however, he is not much of a threat out of the backfield as a pass-catcher.

Discipline: He runs with less than ideal discipline. This is either due to him trying to make big plays or his lack of confidence in his ability to take what’s given.