Jump to content

49ers Select S Talanoa Hufanga With the 180th Pick in the 5th round


J-ALL-DAY

Recommended Posts

Just now, J-ALL-DAY said:

Interesting, but will he be used more in a LB role on 3rd down? Kind of like Harris? 

To me he is a direct Harris replacement as a box safety but then one that can offer something in coverage and plays with more control. Have a late 3rd grade on him so stoked to pick him up here.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Justone2 said:

To me he is a direct Harris replacement as a box safety but then one that can offer something in coverage and plays with more control. Have a late 3rd grade on him so stoked to pick him up here.

I remember when watching Fresno State vs USC in 2019, they had a safety who was cousins with Troy Polamulu who got a INT in the RZ...Was it this guy? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, J-ALL-DAY said:

I remember when watching Fresno State vs USC in 2019, they had a safety who was cousins with Troy Polamulu who got a INT in the RZ...Was it this guy? 

Think you are talking about Isaiah Pola-Moa.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Justone2 said:

Think you are talking about Isaiah Pola-Moa.

He does have ties though interestingly enough.

Quote

After declaring for the draft, Hufanga began training for his Pro Day and the draft with Hall of Famer and fellow Trojan safety Troy Polamalu. While Hufanga might not have the same generational physical traits as Polamalu, the pair share a similar psychological approach to football.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The more I look into this kid, the more I like. TDN says he has elite IQ and versatility. Watching a few cut ups shows that. He’s everywhere. 
 

I love that he’s a willing tackler but I am concerned about how slender he is. He weighed in at 199 and is very thin. I hope he can bulk up some of he’s going to play close to the LOS. 
 

It was notable that when they called him to tell him he was the pick, Shanahan said something that I’ve never heard him say before. He told Hufanga that he was one of their favorite players in the entire draft and his style is why they love him so much. 


 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, John232 said:

Aside from being another hybrid backer, would love to see this guy excel on ST. We need it badly. 

So does he. His goal is to make the probowl as a special teamer this year. He's already my second favourite pick in this draft and I haven't even watched a highlight tape.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Pick: Talanoa Hufanga, S/LB

Grade: B+

Why: I think Hufanga might be my favorite pick of this class. This is a luxury pick in terms of our roster, but he fits so well. I’d give this pick an A+ if his athletic profile wasn’t so underwhelming. I'm legit worried about him playing at 199 in the type of role we're looking at here.

2021 Impact: Moderate to high

Why: This kid plays with so much intelligence and aggression that I think he forces his way on the field early. He’s already stated that he wants to be a Special Teams Pro Bowler this year, so I expect to hear his name often on punts and kickoffs. Hufanga and Lenoir should really improve our special teams. 

My Thoughts: Shanahan told Hufanga on draft day that he was one of their favorite players in the draft and I can see why. He’s billed as an ultra-smart, savvy defender in the short to intermediate areas and he is. Man, is he fun to watch. I love watching him play like a heat seeking missile with intelligence. 

It sounds like he will be a box safety with some time as a nickel LB. His athleticism is not great and he’s very slender, which I don’t like. His athletic profile is too much of tweener in the worse sense of the word to be as effective as he really could be. He’s 199 and I’d like to see him get up to 210-215 to really be the enforcer that he likes to be. I’m not sure he’s ever going to be a starter, but I could definitely see him being a key piece to our nickel defense moving forward. If he gets his weight up and doesn't lose any of his speed, his high-IQ ability will play up. 

What I Like:

  • Elite IQ
  • Core special teamer, like special teams captain
  • Loves to hit and be aggressive
  • Positional versatility
  • Technique in zone coverage and tackling
  • A nose for the ball and a desire to take it away no matter what
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...