A productive edge rusher at Notre Dame, Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa heads to the NFL Draft as a potential late-round draft pick. He’s the only Irish defensive player besides Kyle Hamilton in this year’s class. Here’s what to expect from Tagoaviloa-Amosa, his strengths, weaknesses, and best NFL Draft fit.
Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa Strengths
Scouts largely laud Tagovailoa-Amosa’s grit and energy as a player. He’s the classic ‘locker room guy’ that could bounce around practice squads and occasionally make a roster. Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa served as an above-average college edge rusher, largely due to his power. His aggressive rushes and signature spin-move got him past plenty of collegiate offensive lineman. He has decent quickness as well for a larger edge rusher.
Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa Weaknesses
There are a few here to discuss. The first is Tagovailoa-Amosa’s body type – he has to either bulk up or cut down to fit more distinctly into a position group. He’s an edge rusher, but a little on the bigger side than traditional NFL talent. He’s not big enough to shift to the interior, however. Technique-wise, Tagovailoa-Amosa can be a little wild and rely on his power to get past linemen. Against developed NFL talent, he’ll need a more refined style and learn to win with his hands.
Best 2022 Game Film: Toledo
This game embodies Tagovailoa-Amosa as a player and a person. Dealing with his father’s death, Tagovailoa-Amosa decided to stay with his team, watching his father’s funeral on FaceTime after the game. Playing with that on his chest, Tagovailoa-Amosa forced a fumble and delivered his only two sacks of the season, helping the Irish eke out a tight victory in their home opener. Tagovailoa-Amosa made a few heads-up plays to collapse rushing lanes as well, an aspect of his game he occasionally struggled with due to his wild rushing technique.
Worst 2022 Game Film: Florida State
Tagovailoa-Amosa struggled in this one. Not only was he not a statistical influence, posting just one assisted tackle, the Seminoles directly targeted him twice on touchdowns. On one play near the goalline, Tagovailoa-Amosa bulled past the lineman towards a ball carrier. However, in his normal aggressive nature, Tagovailoa-Amosa was left exposed to an easy bootleg by Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis for the score. Later, Tagovailoa-Amosa was inches from a key sack but couldn’t utilize his hands to beat his lineman, failing to reach Travis. Travis scrambled out of the collapsed pocket and fired a touchdown, sparking the Florida State rally. Scouts are certainly concerned about Tagovailoa-Amosa’s vision and play style, and this game exploited the downfalls of his bull-rushing technique.
Best NFL Draft Fit: Pittsburgh Steelers
This is a decent fit, all things considered for both sides. The Steelers don’t have a pressing need at the edge. They have arguably the game’s best edge rusher in T.J. Watt. However, it’s a position they could hunt down some depth for their roster or practice squad late in the draft. For Tagovailoa-Amosa, it’s a nice spot. A chance for him to play for a really good coach in Mike Tomlin, a fellow Notre Dame alum in Chase Claypool, and, of course, learn from Watt.
NFL Draft Prediction: Pittsburgh Steelers, Round 7, Pick 4
Why not? Whoever picks up Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa is getting a gritty guy but one that may never get significant playing time. He’s very likely to be an undrafted free agent, but if the Steelers haven’t grabbed an edge player yet, Tagovailoa-Amosa is a nice find in the seventh round and a decent value pick-up.
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