Boye Mafe EDGE Minnesota: Scouting Report

Height: 6’4’’

Weight: 257

Overall

Boye Mafe is an edge rusher in Minnesota’s 4-3 defense. He lined up primarily in a 2-point stance on the edge. In his 4 college seasons, he played in 42 games, starting 9 of them. He was used on a rotation in the film I watched but he has the size and athleticism to develop into a starting caliber player in the NFL.

Pass Game

In the pass game, Mafe has a quick first step and at times, shows an excellent hand swipe move to create separation and beat his man on the outside. Often though, he was blocked out of play and did not make much of an impact on film. He has the athleticism and size to be a strong pass rusher, but he lacks the explosiveness to be a game changer off the edge. In coverage though, he showed promise with his speed to keep up with tight ends and running backs.

Run Game

Against the run, Mafe lacks the lower body power to set the edge and he was easily moved off his spot on outside runs. When he gets his hands on the ball-carrier, he is a strong tackler but that is not a common occurrence with his inability to get off blocks. Again, he has the size and intangibles to become a good run defender but from what I have seen on film, he is far from being a 3-down starter at the next lever.

Last Word

Mafe projects best as a 3-4 outside linebacker. He has experience rushing the passer, but his biggest asset may be his coverage abilities. If he can consistently cover tight ends and running backs in the NFL, he could also move to off ball linebacker as well. He can be used on 3rd downs with his pass rush experience but with his speed, he can be a very good special teams player.

One-Liner: Boye Mafe has the physical attributes to develop into a strong pass rusher, but he lacks the explosiveness to be an impact player early on in his career.

Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter, 3rd Down Player)

Games Watched: 2021 – Ohio State, Nebraska, Maryland

Team Fits: Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots