Jahlani Tavai | LB | Hawai’i
Height | 6-4
Weight | 245
Class | Senior
A four-year starter, Tavai lined up primarily at MIKE in Hawaii’s 4-2-5 scheme. He was unable to finish his senior season with a shoulder injury, which kept him from the Senior Bowl and combine. But Tavai still had great success throughout his collegiate career, finishing as one of the best players in the Mountain West.
Tavai flashes excellent run defense, using mental processing, short area burst, natural strength, and play speed when shooting gaps to disrupt plays. He shows overall good movement skills and fluid hips when dropping back in coverage. Tavai is also adept at coming off the edge as a blitzer, where he shows some bend and hand usage to get around the corner.
Overall, Tavai is flying under the radar, but when he’s healthy, he might be one of the better players at his position in April. Tavai’s play reminds me of Cowboys’ Leighton Vander Esch when he came out of Boise State. He will immediately add a three-down hybrid linebacker, offering inside-out versatility, a playmaker, and a leader to a defense at the next level.
