Hogs Haven takes a look at 2023 NFL Draft prospects that could contribute to the Commanders
Atonio Mafi, OG
School: UCLA | Conference: Pac 12
College Experience: RS Senior | Age: ?
Height / Weight: 6’3” / 338 lbs
Projected Draft Status: 5th Round
Player Comparison: Chasen Hines
Player Overview
Cousin of tight end Devin Asiasi, Atonio Mafi was a three-star recruit out of California that was recruited by UCLA to play nose tackle. He became a starter early his freshman year and played along the Bruins defensive front. He would play one more season on defense before switching to the offensive side of the ball in 2020. It was in 2021 when he got the chance to start in three games at guard. He would start each game at right guard in his final season and earn second-team All-Pac 12 honors.
Strengths
- Wide frame that’s hard to get around
- Good short area quickness and footwork
- Works to second level and finds targets in space
- Devastating down blocker
- Locks arms, anchors, and keeps feet moving to stonewall rushers
- Good awareness; looks for work
Weaknesses
- Needs to improve sustaining blocks in passing game
- Can struggle with balance in pass pro
- Sometimes shoots his hands too wide
- Can play high and lose leverage to defenders
- Can struggle getting to blocks on outside zone runs
- Will have to maintain weight (once was 411 lbs)
Let’s see his work
Atonio Mafi (LG 56)
Just a guy looking for work pic.twitter.com/UNSfDIUwJJ
— Draft Guy Jared (@DraftGuyJared) February 6, 2023
LG Atonio Mafi… Using skip pull technique but to execute a reach block… Pretty interesting pic.twitter.com/VhFW5yabbr
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) February 11, 2023
Washington hosted UCLA IOL Atonio Mafi on a Top 30 visit, per source.
Sleeper within the interior that was a standout at Shrine.
The team also met informally with Oregon C Alex Forsyth.
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) March 24, 2023
Atonio Mafi is a OG prospect in the 2023 draft class. He does not qualify for a RAS due to a lack of measurements.
Mafi didn’t test fully due to a calf injury.https://t.co/CDxOWikQLH #RAS pic.twitter.com/hmPAFldyiT
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 26, 2023
How he fits on the Commanders
Although Atonio Mafi is new to the offensive side of the ball, he’s shown flashes of being a quality offensive guard. His athleticism for his size combined with his size and strength will make him a quality player if he continues to improve. Do the Commanders have time for him to develop? With this looking like the last year of Ron Rivera’s tenure with the team barring significant success, they may look for more polished prospects in the draft. But given that they held a private workout with Mafi and his experience with the zone blocking schemes Eric Bieniemy might run gives him a shot of being selected by Washington.