KSL SPORTS LIVE
Leki Fotu’s Unique Blend Of Size, Strength, Athleticism Will Lead To Lengthy NFL Career
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Former Utah defensive tackle Leki Fotu has a unique blend of size, strength, etc. that will help him have a long career in the NFL.
Former Utah and NFL quarterback Scott Mitchell believes with all of those things blended into his game that Fotu will be a mainstay at the next level.
“He is not only a run-stopper but he is an athlete,” Mitchell said. “I look at him and think that he is a graceful beast. He has so much athleticism for a big guy. He is a tall guy when most defensive tackles are squatty guys.”
Mitchell joined KSL Sports’ Jeremiah Jensen on SportsBeat to break down Fotu’s film.
Run-Stopper, Open Field Tackler
One of the first things that Mitchell pointed out in Fotu’s game is that he is really athletic in space and can get tackles in the open field.
“Here is a guy that shows up in the run game and he is super athletic in space and when he zero’s in on the football, he gets to it like nobody’s business,” Mitchell said.
I know that the team that will pick @LekiFotu is getting one heck of a player and person.#Utes #NFLDraft https://t.co/dJp5J2EDiN
— Trevor Allen (@TrevorASports) March 30, 2020
Mitchell also stated that Fotu is a big and tall player that can play low.
“He is a big guy but he stays and plays low,” Mitchell said. “So, when you have a defensive tackle that is extremely athletic, who understands where he fits in the defense, he is a guy that has a really good sense of football.”
Great Discipline
Discipline is a strength for Fotu as he gets ready to play at the next level.
“This guy has great discipline,” Mitchell mentioned. “He understands the position very well. He is super disciplined in understanding his position and where he fits in on the defense. There is so many times that he makes plays for other people because he is in the right position. He also has this tremendous leverage and for a big guy, this is super hard.”
During his career at Utah, Fotu became one of the surprise players on the Utes’ defense.
Go behind the scenes with our 9 #UtesInTheCombine. @NBAxJay1@Jav__K@JumpManJuice23@TiTaniumT98@PresMoss2@FrancisJBernard@Dub_jayy_boy@BradleeAnae@LekiFotu pic.twitter.com/WIYscFYtdS
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) March 2, 2020
“Leki Fotu is a great leverage player and he is a surprise,” Mitchell mentioned. “He was one of the top rated defensive players in the Pac-12. If he gets in the right situation, he can play with a 4-man front or a 3-man front but he is a guy who really understands defense. He will be a guy who has a good career in the NFL.”
The NFL Draft will take place from April 23-25. Watch the entire film breakdown from Scott Mitchell on Leki Fotu at the top of the story.
Trevor Allen is a Utah Utes Insider for KSLSports.com and host of the Crimson Corner podcast. Follow him on Twitter: @TrevorASports. You can download and listen to the podcast, here.
