National Football League

2017 NFL Draft: Washington Vita Vea Scouting Report

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Washington’s Vita Vea is a massive defensive line prospect who is turning heads.

Vita Vea is a space-eating nose tackle prospect who excels at stuffing the run. He’s a powerful and physical force who can occupy space. His size and strength combination makes it nearly impossible to move him off the line of scrimmage.

Vea uses his powerful upper body to deliver a jolt, press the blocker and quickly disengage. His use of inside hands allows him to create the space needed to pursue the football. He has enough quickness to work off those blocks and make plays away from his frame.

This is a tenacious defender who is always in pursuit of the football. Vea’s non-stop motor is just another thing that helps him succeed.

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He’s not an overly explosive athlete, but surprises people with his quickness based on his size. His solid first step and strength give him the ability to push the pocket and create pressure in the face of the quarterback.

The issue facing Vea is that some teams see bigger players like him as two-down players. He needs to show that he can stay on the field on passing downs and generate some pressure.

Last year’s draft showed us that dominant run-defenders can slip a little. The best examples are Alabama’s A’Shawn Robinson and Jarran Reed. Vea also needs to work to avoid being compared to former Washington star Danny Shelton.

Shelton has had a solid Sophomore season, but really struggled to make an impact as a rookie.

Still, there is a need for someone with Vea’s potential. He could quickly become a dominant force working in the trenches. This is a defensive lineman who can hold at the point of attack, occupy blockers and work off blocks.

Current Draft Status: Late 1st Round

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