The 6-foot-2, 234-pound Liufau was born in Hawaii and has a football pedigree that helped him make a name for himself on the national stage as a Fighting Irish.
One of the fastest linebackers in the draft, he ran a respectable 4.64 seconds (70th percentile) in the 40-yard dash, and his wingspan works in tandem with his arm length, giving him the edge over opponents. He is very difficult for quarterbacks to utilize. His most notable NFL player is Darius Leonard, and in college he has been compared to Edgerrin Cooper (Texas A&M).
Liufau is another Senior Bowl graduate who has caught the Cowboys' attention, and his instincts are ready for what the linebacker position requires. His first step is decisive and impressive, and there is not much guesswork in his game.
The rep he missed was because he hesitated before accelerating into the play, but once he did, he was a fly ball.
He played under the whistle, deemed any attempt to block as disrespectful, and violently threw the block away on the way to what would normally be a sound tackle. There aren't many ball carriers who can get around him in open space or get around him when he gets his hands on the ball.
It's the physicality, IQ, and size/height that are reminiscent of Sean Lee.
He's going to have to learn how to gear down at times in the NFL or risk over-pursuing and compromising angles that lead to bigger plays, but defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer There's a reason to be excited about the selection — Zimmer is very demanding of his linebackers and could be a game-changer.
That said, Liufau has room to develop into a high-functioning professional, which may happen sooner rather than later, but once he finds his footing in the NFL, he could be a threat at a position the Cowboys are hungry for a solution. Body.
