Taliese Fuaga OT Oregon State: Scouting Report

Height: 6’6 

Weight: 334

Overall

Taliese Fuaga is a mauling right tackle in Oregon State's pro-style offense. In his 4 seasons with the Beavers he played in 39 games, starting 25 of them. He played solely at right tackle from this past season’s film but he has the size and strength to be moved to guard if needed or even to left tackle in an emergency. He was dominant on film and has the talent to be an immediate contributor at the next level.

Pass Game

In the pass game, Fuaga has excellent footwork and balance to get into his pass sets. He does a good job of staying square and getting his hands on the edge rusher early. Against power rushers he has a very good anchor to hold his ground against bullrushes. Once he gets a firm hold on his man he makes it very difficult for the defender to make any impact. Against speed rushers on the edge he does a good job of sliding his feet to redirect them around the outside but once he gets moving he struggles changing direction to recover against inside moves. At times he can handle more athletic edge rushers but he will need to improve his balance and foot speed to better recover when he gets out of position.

Run Game

In the run game, Fuaga has elite power and leg drive to consistently open up running lanes. He fires off the line of scrimmage, immediately getting his hands on his keys then drives the defender back out their gap. He has a very strong initial punch to get defensive linemen on their heels along with the lower body power to overwhelm defenders. On zone runs he is dominant in blocking up the field to create holes on the edge. On gap runs, he has excellent athleticism for his size to be used as a pulling lineman and makes key blocks in space. He can succeed in any run scheme in the NFL and will provide an immediate boost to any team’s run game to begin his career.

Last Word

Fuaga projects best as a right tackle in a run-heavy offense where he can use his power and athleticism to open up holes on the outside. He has the flexibility to play anywhere on the line but with his struggles against athletic edge rushers, he is best suited on the right side or at guard if needed. His power will make him extremely valuable on short yardage plays and he can be an immediate starter on special teams as well.

One-Liner: Taliese Fuaga is a dominant run blocker and if he can improve his change of direction to better block athletic pass rushers he will grow into a long-term starter at right tackle.

Grade: 6.7 (Solid Starter on All 3 Downs)

Games Watched: 2023 - Washington State, Oregon, Washington, UCLA

Team Fits: New York Jets, Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Rams