Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State
Size:
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 324 pounds
Arm Length: 33 1/8"
Hand Size: 10 1/8"
Accomplishments:
First Team All-Pac 12 (2023) • Outland Trophy semifinalist (2023) • Second Team All-Pac-12 (2022)
“Taliese Fuaga is a physical blocker with a mean streak and will routinely punish defenders in the run game.”
Strengths:
Run game dominance
Strong, filled-in NFL frame
Heavy hands
Potential positional flexibility
Concerns:
Drifting, oversetting in pass pro
Inconsistent footwork
Over aggressiveness
Film Analysis:
Taliese Fuaga has 1,564 snaps at right tackle for the Beavers offense. He plays with a physicality that sets the tone on run downs. Fuaga moves out of his stance with good quickness and pop. He displays the burst to reach and cut off blockers on zone concepts. Fuaga has heavy hands that can stun defenders and stymie their momentum once he’s latched. He is a good climbing blocker to the second level and into space. Whether facing linebackers or defensive backs, he gets out quickly and hunts down the target.
He has sufficient arm length and uses it to his advantage in pass pro. Fuaga uses vertical, short, and 45-degree/diagonal set points. His lateral movement is efficient and effective to close the defender’s access points to the backfield. Fuaga will meet defenders at the apex of their rush with good posture and patience. His punch timing is sufficient and mixes ghost punches to throw off the timing of the defender’s rush. This allows him to recover if beaten by the initial rush.
Fuaga’s footwork is inconsistent. He doesn’t always bring his feet with him in situations requiring him to redirect. Fuaga tends to drift and overset leaving room open for defenders to cross his face. He has moments of over-aggression where he leans into defenders from the waist up. This makes him susceptible to the push-pull technique.
Fuaga has enough quickness to play right tackle at the next level. Projects as a starter at both OG and RT. He is an ideal fit for a run-first offense with a play-action passing game. If a team is set at OT, Fuaga could slide into a guard spot to upgrade their offensive line.
Prospect Projection: Day 1 — Pro Bowl Caliber
Written By: Damian Parson
Exposures: UCLA (2023), Oregon (2023), Washington (2023), Colorado (2023)
