DL Vita Vea, Washington
Strengths
The most impressive aspect of Vea’s game is his insane movement skills, considering he is a lumbering 330 pound man. Vea is surprisingly nimble on his feet and his unexpected athleticism is augmented by the tenacious effort and hustle he gives on every play.
His set of athletic capabilities is truly special, as you rarely see a 330+ lb. defensive lineman chasing down running backs from behind.
Vea’s continuous effort and passion is extremely contagious, and it is something that the Steeler’s defense could benefit from. I love how hard the whole Huskies’s defense plays and swarms after the ballcarrier. Aside from Alabama, Washington is probably my favorite collegiate defense in the nation.
Additionally, Vea is a remarkably effective pass rusher as an interior defensive lineman. He can push the pocket and pressure the QB with impressive explosion off the snap. Furthermore, Vea possess a fantastic combination of effective hand usage and power to fuel his pass rush. He has a refined set of pass rushing tools, such as an over-powering hump move, where he pummels the blocker to the ground with his heavy hands.
Lastly, Vea is a legitimate two-gapping threat in the run game, as he can stand up OTs and disengage at the POA to make the tackle. Vea eats up a TON of space against the run and can clog up running lanes. Also, Vea maintains ideal leverage despite his enormous frame and can move blockers with ease. Overall, he is an almost perfect player to place in the center of your defense.