EDGE, Minnesota
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 261 lbs
Class: rs-Senior
As a three-star recruit in 2017, Mafe earned six offers, with three of those coming from FBS programs. A Minnesota native, he chose to stay in-state and committed to the Golden Gophers. After redshirting his freshman season, Mafe developed into a rotational edge, before being given a starting role in the abbreviated 2020 season. He became an impact player in 2021, leading the team in sacks and earning Second Team All-Big Ten honours.
You can read more of my 2022 NFL Draft content here.
Strengths
One of Mafe’s biggest strengths is his outstanding athletic profile. He posted a Relative Athletic Score of 9.91, the seventh highest of any edge rusher in the last decade. He recorded a 4.53 40-yard dash at 261 lbs, whilst also logging a 38″ vertical and a 10’5″ broad jump. All of these numbers rank inside the 95th percentile at the position. Most importantly, all of these tools show up on his tape too.
Mafe’s ability to combine this explosiveness with fluid movement skills make him very difficult to contain off the edge. He has enough burst to consistently win with speed off the edge and shows good bend to flatten the arc and get back to the quarterback. This initial quickness and footwork also allows him to impact the running game, with the ability to shoot gaps and get into the backfield. It is a testament to his athleticism that Minnesota even used him on occasion in coverage, despite standing at 6’4″ and 261 lbs.
This all resulted in some legitimately impressive production for Mafe in 2021, his first full season as a starter. He finished the year with 42 pressures, including seven sacks. This tied for fifth amongst Big Ten defensive linemen, despite Mafe playing substantially fewer pass rushing snaps than the players ahead of him. He also logged a very respectable 19.2% pass rush win rate.
In addition to his athleticism and production, Mafe offers a noticeably high motor. Whilst he may not be the most refined technician at this point in his career, he is often able to overcome this thanks to his relentless effort. His hands remain active throughout the rep and he will often overwhelm blockers with his tenacity. His willingness to chase down plays as a backside defender is also impressive.
Weaknesses
Whilst Mafe possesses special athletic tools, he is still some way from being a polished edge rusher. He shows a good variety of pass rushing moves, but too often his approach looks pre-planned. Mafe needs to improve his reading of offensive tackles and do a better job of reacting to their positioning and momentum. He can also stand to improve his counter ability, which will make him a more successful NFL edge in the long run.
Mafe also needs some work as a run defender. Despite good size, he does struggle to anchor consistently. He also has issues disengaging from blocks thanks to his below average length. This will only be a more prominent issue at the next level. It is worth noting that Mafe is also one of the older prospects in the edge class, turning 24 in his rookie season. That is all the more concerning given the fact that he still far from the finished product.
Bottom Line
Mafe possesses the athletic profile you want in an NFL edge prospect and has shown he can be a productive pass rusher. His below average technique and sub-par run defense will limit his immediate impact, but he could develop into a good starter in the NFL.
Ideal role: 4-3 defensive end
Round projection: 2nd round
