Vita Vea, Washington: 2018 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Washington’s Vita Vea is an established force in the trenches where he dominates at the point of attack.

Vita Vea is a massive individual who uses his size to his advantage. He is nearly impossible to move off the line of scrimmage. This allows him to occupy blockers and stuff the run. However, he’s more versatile than most defenders with his size.

Vea features a quick burst and short-area quickness for his size. This allows him to close on the ball carrier and make plays away from his frame. There aren’t many defensive tackles who are involved in as many plays as Vea.

More from With the First Pick

His commitment to gaining inside hands helps him control the action. He has the upper body strength to press the defender and create space. This helps him locate the football and close on the ball carrier.

Vea also flashes lateral quickness which helps him work around blocks in both the run and passing game. He’ll never be an elite pass rusher, but his combination of power and quickness give him upside. Vea is someone who can really push the pocket back into the quarterback’s face.

He’s a really instinctual player who has a nose for the ball. Vea is routinely in position to rack up tackle and clog running lanes.

Despite his massive frame, Vea plays with a great motor and stamina. This isn’t someone who will need to rotate off the field often. The fact he can generate some pressure also means he can remain on the field in passing situations.

Vea’s game has a lot of violence to it in that he can deliver big hits and initial punch off the line. He really looks to take the fight to the offensive line and control their movement.

Overall, this is a very rare and unique prospect. There are many individuals that boast his combination of size and quickness. Vea’s versatility means he can fit different systems and impact the game in multiple ways.