2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Boye Mafe

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Boye Mafe, 6-3/255 Defensive End Minnesota

Boye Mafe Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Fast edge rusher

Agility to dodge blockers

Quick feet

Good get-off

Closing speed

Nice ability to redirect

Pursuit defender

Plays with good leverage

Causes havoc behind the line of scrimmage

Disruptive

Chases running backs down from the backside

Consistent source of pass pressure

Regularly produces splash plays

Has some instincts and feel

Ability to bend around the corner

Weaknesses:

Lacks weight for the edge

Lacks length for the edge

Needs to get stronger for downhill runs

Struggles to shed blocks when linemen lock on

Could stand to improve and develop more pass-rushing moves

Tweener for a 4-3; needs more strength to be a base end

Summary: Over the past three seasons, Mafe would flash for the Golden Gophers and look like he was poised to take off at any time to morph into a dominating defensive end. The speed rusher never turned into that elite double-digit sacker, but he was atill a quality defenisve end for Minnesota. In 2019, Mafe rotated onto the field as a speed rusher and recorded 14 tackles ans three sacks. In the shortened 2020 season, he notched 27 tackles, 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. Mafe played his best football as a senior, recording 34 tackles, seven sacks and one forced fumble.

The strength of Mafe’s pass-rushing game is how extremely fast he is off the edge, possessing excellent agility to weave around blockers. He has a quick first-step and a get-off to get tackles on their heels. Mafe is good in space while being dangerous standing up over tackles or putting his hand in the ground and rushing as a defensive end. He would be an excellent fit as a 3-4 outside linebacker at the next level. In a 4-3 defense, Mafe could be a right end, but he would be a liability as a run defender against pro left tackles. Another potential role could be as a Sam – strongside – linebacker on run downs who moves to defensive end for passing situations.



In the ground game, Mafe struggles to shed blocks when linemen get their hands on him, and he also will have problems defending downhill runs coming straight at him. Mafe needs to continue to develop some his pass-rushing moves for the NFL because he is too reliant on speed and athleticism.

Some NFL teams have Mafe graded in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and he probably will be a second-day pick. Mafe could start out his career as a backup end who is a designated pass rusher in obvious passing situations. Over time, he could develop into a three-down starter, but Mafe needs the right system at the next level.



Player Comparison: Cliff Avril. Mafe reminds me of Avril (6-3, 260). They are almost identical in size and fast edge rushers who can hunt quarterbacks. Both players are light in the run game as well. Avril was a quality pass rusher over his solid NFL career, and if Mafe pans out, I could see him being a pro comparable to Avril.

2022 NFL Draft Player Previews - Choose Player 2022 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Adam Anderson, OLB, Georgia Calvin Austin, WR, Memphis Tyler Badie, RB, Missouri Amaré Barno, OLB, Virginia Tech Andrew Booth, CB, Clemson David Bell, WR, Purdue Nik Bonitto, OLB, Oklahoma Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas Zachary Carter, DE, Florida Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin Lewis Cine, S, Georgia Damone Clark, LB, LSU Micheal Clemons, DE, Texas A&M Bryan Cook, S, Cincinnati James Cook, RB, Georgia Yusuf Corker, S, Kentucky Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State Nick Cross, S, Maryland Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA Arnold Ebiketie, DE, Penn State Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida Ikem Ekwonu, OT, N.C. State Martin Emerson, CB, Mississippi State Kingsley Enagbare, DE, South Carolina Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota Luke Fortner, C, Kentucky Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner, CB, Cincinnati Luke Goedeke, G, Central Michigan Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington Kenyon Green, G, Texas A&M Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State Logan Hall, DE, Houston Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame Christian Harris, LB, Alabama Daxton Hill, S, Michigan Chasen Hines, G, LSU Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan Ed Ingram, G, LSU Drake Jackson, DE, USC Jermaine Johnson, DE, Florida State Zion Johnson, G, Boston College Travis Jones, DT, Connecticut Kerby Joseph, S, Illinois Cam Jurgens, C, Nebraska George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue Darian Kinnard, OT, Kentucky Charlie Kolar, TE, Iowa State DeMarvin Leal, DT, Texas A&M Isaiah Likely, TE, Coastal Carolina Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah Drake London, WR, USC Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington State Boye Mafe, DE, Minnesota Phidarian Mathis, DT, Alabama Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington Verone McKinley, S, Oregon John Metchie, WR, Alabama Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming David Ojabo, DE, Michigan Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State Cade Otton, TE, Washington Evan Neal, OT, Alabama Josh Paschal, DE, Kentucky Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa Nick Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State George Pickens, WR, Georgia Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati Dameon Pierce, RB, Florida Jalen Pitre, S, Baylor Brock Purdy, QB, Iowa State Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati John Ridgeway, DT, Arkansas Brian Robinson, RB, Alabama Wan'Dale Robinson, WR, Kentucky Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State Jamaree Salyer, G, Georgia Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa Isaiah Spiller, RB, Texas A&M Derek Stingley, CB, LSU Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, Oregon Cameron Thomas, DE, San Diego State Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor Kenneth Walker, RB, Michigan State Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State Quay Walker, LB, Georgia Travon Walker, DE, Georgia Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State Zamir White, RB, Georgia Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama Malik Willis, QB, Liberty Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M

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