NFL Draft 2022: 10 players New York Giants could target if they trade back

Minnesota’s Boye Mafe has all the characteristics that teams look for in a modern-day edge rusher.

Mafe has the size at 6-4 and 260 pounds. He has the speed, which he has shown on multiple occasions. He solidified this by running a 4.53 40-yard dash.

There is a lot to get excited about when watching Mafe. He has already proven himself as a capable pass rusher, accumulating a total of 15 sacks, with seven of them coming last season.

While Mafe arrived at Minnesota in 2017, his breakout has just come over the past two years. Over his final 19 games, he recorded 61 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, and 11.5 sacks. He has also started just 13 games during his collegiate career.

Many of the critiques in Mafe’s game come from an overall lack of experience and production when on the field. While he has the skillset to dominate, he hasn’t fully played to a level that many believe he can.

Mafe is the type of player that will benefit from learning from the players around him. Given proper coaching and time to develop, he could unlock his full potential. He’ll enter the NFL as a player who can start immediately, but may struggle in the beginning. As he learns, he will only get better.