OT Daniel Faalele, Minnesota University
If the New Yorkj Giants decide not to draft an offensive tackle with one of their two first round picks, Daniel Faalele out of Minnesota would be a very solid draft choice later on.
Coming in at an unthinkable 6-foot-8 and 384 pounds, Faalele had himself a dominant season at Minnesota, only allowing one sack, two QB hits, and five QB hurries. In addition this, Faalele also gained a pass-blocking grade of 76.6, alongside a run-blocking grade of 78.9 per, PFF.
The number one thing that stands out when looking at Faalele is his monstrous size, as he would be one of, if not the tallest offensive lineman in the entire NFL. Despite this monstrous size, however, Daniel Faalele is a very smooth mover and solid athlete in both run and pass blocking snaps. Faalele is also a very solid run blocker at both the first and second level.
However, there are a couple of things he needs to work on.
For starters, his hand technique is very inconsistent at times, leading to him striking opponents too high which sometimes causes issues. Alongside this, Faalele is also relatively new to football, as he was born in Australia and didn’t start playing football until his senior season of high school.
Don’t let this hurt your interpretation of Faalele though, because the fact that he is so new to football, yet is already so talented outside of his physical tools, opens the door for his immense potential, as he has the size and power to become a start in this league.
If the New York Giants do not select a tackle in the first round, it may be in their best interest to select Faalele in the 2nd round. If he is able to put all of his tools together and reach his potential, there is little doubt in my mind that he will be a very good lineman in the NFL in the future.