Polynesian Draft Prospects Who Could Help the Commanders

Keeping Washington at the forefront of an NFL megatrend

One of the most significant trends in American football over the past few decades that you might not know about is the growth in numbers of players of Polynesian descent on NFL rosters.

Polynesia is a group of over 1,000 islands in the South Pacific, spanning the region from Hawaii in the north to New Zealand in the south west and Rapa Nui is the south east. Since the turn of the 20^th century, Polynesian players have played a dominant role in rugby football codes. In Australia, where I live, there are two profession rugby leagues, as well as state and national teams, sitting atop a club structure which extends down to every local community. No rugby club roster at any level is complete without an islander contingent.

Across the ditch in New Zealand, Polynesian football has reached its pinnacle. No country on earth is more invested in a single sports team than New Zealand is in its national rugby team, the All Blacks. There is a good reason for that.

American football fans think of the Brady-Belichick Patriots as the greatest dynasty in sports. New England’s 20 year run of championship success is just a drop in the ocean compared to the All Blacks’ 120 year run of dominance of international rugby. Since 1903, they have sustained a 76% winning record, outscored their average opponent by more than 2 to 1 (25-12), achieved a winning record against every country in world rugby, and won 3/10 World Cups, 10/16 Tri Nations Championships, and 20/28 Rugby Championships. What distinguishes the All Blacks from every other pretender to the title of greatest team in sporting history is that, for over a century, they have never had a sustained period where they were not at or near the top of their sport.

Central to the All Blacks’ success has been the contribution of native Maori and players from other Polynesian nations. To give you a sense of how ingrained Polynesian culture is in New Zealand’s national sport, here is how the All Blacks welcome the opposing team before every match:

The entry of Polynesians into American football didn’t start until after WWII. The first Polynesian in the NFL was Al Lolotai, who played left guard for our very own Washington Redskins in 1945, the year of Sammy Baugh’s final championship appearance at the twilight of the Redskins’ first glory era. The growth in numbers of Polynesian players really took off three decades later, with players like Jack “The Throwin’ Samoan” Thompson and Pago Pago native Mosi Tatupu in the late ‘70s.

While New Zealand Maori are the largest Polynesian subpopulation, Samoans have had the greatest representation on NFL rosters followed by Hawaiians and Tongans. That likely reflects the American presence in those parts of the Pacific, and the strong cultural ties of Maori players to their national team and domestic rugby leagues.

Today, Samoans alone are the most over-represented cultural group on NFL rosters. There are around 180,000 people of Samoan descent in the US and another 55,000 in American Samoa. Over the past few seasons, roughly 50 players of Samoan descent have been on NFL rosters – around 3% of the league, and nearly 40 times their proportional share of the US population.

There have been many great Polynesian players through the decades, such as Jesse Sapolu, Mike Iupati, Haloti Ngata, Troy Polamalu, Junior Seau, Vai Sikahema and Redskins’ great Kurt Keola Gouveia. Many of today’s top players have Polynesian ancestry, including Tua Tagovailoa, Talano Hufanga, Puka Nacua, Bijan Robinson, Vita Vea, Jordan Mailata, Isaac Seumalo, and JuJu Smith-Schuster.

While precise numbers are hard to come by, it would appear that the Pittsburgh Steelers currently lead the NFL with five Polynesians (RB Jaylen Warren, G Isaac Seumalo, G Nate Herbig, LB Nick Herbig, NT Breiden Fehoko). Within the NFC East, the Eagles are the leaders with four (LT Jordan Mailata, TE Noah Togiai, NT Marlon Tuipuloto, ILB Noah Elliss) following the departure of Seumalo in free agency.

And that brings us to the crux of the matter. To begin his roster recalibration, Adam Peters signed Polynesian players, LB Frankie Luvu and QB Marcus Mariota. They join criminally underutilized DT Benning Potoa’e, to swell the number of Polynesian Commanders to three and bring the team within striking range of the division leaders. There is an opportunity to overtake our main division rival and get back on the leading edge of a crucial trend in NFL roster evolution.

Here are some Polynesian players in the 2024 draft who can help revive the winning tradition of Washington football. Consensus Ranks refer to The Athletic’s Consensus Big Board.

Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Offensive Line

Taliese Fuaga, RT, Oregon St

6-6, 324 lbs, RAS 9.61 (6^th in class)

2023 Stats: 12 games, 700 snaps, 0 sacks, 12 pressures

PFF Blocking Grades: Offense 88.2 (2^nd in NCAA), Run 90.9 (1^st), Pass 80.0 (26^th)

Consensus Rank: 14

Commanders’ Meetings: Senior Bowl, Combine, Team Pro Day

Fuaga is a big, powerful and athletic player of Samoan ancestry who played right tackle for the Beavs. He is an aggressive and physically imposing blocker who plays with a mean streak. According to Lance Zierlein, his pass protection is outstanding, combining refined technique with brute force. He mirrors rushers with fluidity and uses exceptional handwork to keep them off balance. In the run game, he hits defenders with a strong strike but needs to work on sustaining blocks. The Draft Network cites over-aggressiveness as a weakness. In contrast to Zierlein, they see him as a dominant run blocker, which agrees with the PFF grade.

It is most likely that Fuaga will fall between the Commanders’ first two picks in the draft. However, a lot can happen between now and Washington’s first trip to the podium. Fuaga projects as a day one starter at RT for the Commanders, where he has potential to develop into an All Pro with more coaching and experience. It has been suggested that some teams might move him to guard, with potential to provide an upgrade over one of the current starters in time. That would seem to represent his floor in Washington.

The Commanders have met with Fuaga three times, so he is certainly on their radar.

Troy Fautanu, LT/G, Washington

6-4, 317 lbs, RAS 9.45

2023 Stats: 15 games, 993 snaps, 2 sacks, 23 pressures

PFF Blocking Grades: Offense 75.1, Run 61.9, Pass 88.2 (5^th in NCAA)

Consensus Rank: 17

Commanders’ Meetings: Combine

Fautanu played mainly at left tackle for the Huskies but also has experience at guard. He approaches the position with a brawler mentality. He is a weapon on the move in zone blocks and easily gets to the next level where he takes out defenders with jarring blows. He has good lateral agility and quickness in pass protection and uses active hands and feet to keep the rusher in front of him. However, he plays with a frantic pace in pass protection, which leads to technique lapses and allows rushers who know how to set up their moves to beat him.

Fautanu is currently projected to go a little early for the Commanders’ first pick in the second round. However, it would not take much for him to fall to their pick at 36. If he can learn to settle down in pass protection and refine his technique, he could become a plus starter at OT. If not, he can move inside and become an early starter at guard with all-star upside.

Kingsley Suamataia, LT, BYU

6-5, 326 lbs, RAS 9.38

2023 Stats: 11 games, 644 snaps, 2 sacks, 13 pressures

PFF Blocking Grades: Offense 67.5, Run 52.9, Pass 86.1 (9^th in NCAA)

Consensus Rank: 53

Commanders’ Meetings: Senior Bowl, Combine

Sumataia is a highly athletic big man, and ranks 3^rd on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List. He has ideal size and length for the position and, at just 21 years of age, high still be growing. According to BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick:

Kingsley Suamataia is the most athletic and violent OL I’ve ever coached. More athletic than Garett Bolles when I was at Utah. More athletic than Blake Freeland.

That is quite a claim considering that Freeland set a Combine record in the vertical jump and came within an inch of the broad jump record, while weighing 24 pounds less than Suamataia.

According to BYU sports scientist Skyler Mayne, Suamataia hit 21.5 MPH as a 318 lb freshman. At the combine, he ran a 5.04 40-yard dash at 326 pounds, which ranked in the elite range for OTs at his size.

Suamataia’s speed and athleticism show in pass protection, allowing him to shift quickly to mirror rushers. He is able to get downfield quickly in the run game in a manner that reminds this author of his cousin Penei Sewell. However, poor handwork and lapses in awareness can allow defenders to defeat him.

At this point in his development, Suamataia is a toolsy developmental project , with potential to become an elite starting OT. Bearing in mind, that he is a 21 year old redshirt sophomore, he would provide a high-upside addition to the Commanders’ depth chart to develop behind a starter acquired in free agency or earlier in the draft. If the Commanders are confident in Bobby Johnson’s ability to coach him up, Suamataia would represent good value as early as pick #67 in the third round. If the consensus board is any indication, it is possible that another team would be willing to take a gamble on his upside earlier than that.

Dominick Puni, LT/G, Kansas

6-5, 313 lbs, RAS 8.09

2023 Stats: 12 games, 745 snaps, 0 sacks, 8 pressures

PFF Blocking Grades: Offense 80.6 (8^th in NCAA), Run 72.3 (18^th), Pass 90.4 (3^rd)

Consensus Rank: 86

Commanders’ Meetings: Senior Bowl, Combine

Puni played guard and tackle in college, but projects to guard in the NFL. He has good size and athleticism to get to the second level on run blocks. He has a strong punch and uses independent hands to control pass rushers. He plays with a nasty streak, but lacks the lower body strength to push defenders around at close quarters.

At this point in his development, Puni is better suited to a zone blocking scheme than the power blocking scheme Kingsbury used in Arizona. However, he has the size and, with some time in an NFL strength and conditioning program, could develop into a starter for the Commanders. Also, it is not yet clear what Kingsbury’s scheme will look like in DC. The team has met with him twice, so they must have some level of interest.

Sataoa Laumea, RT, Utah

6-4, 319 lbs

2023 Stats: 12 games, 803 snaps, 0 sacks, 29 pressures

PFF Blocking Grades: Offense 65.4, Run 68.7, Pass 54.0

MIBV Projection: Round 4-5

Commanders’ Meetings: Senior Bowl, Combine

Laumea was a four year starter for the Utes and earned All-Conference honors every year of his career. He has the size, strength and athleticism to thrive at guard in the NFL. In the run game, he shows very good power and handwork to move defenders out of the way and clear his lane. In pass protection, he has a strong anchor to stop bull rushes and jolts rushers with a strong punch. He does have a tendency to over-set which can let pass rushers beat him inside. He also needs to learn to sustain blocks better.

Laumea would seem to be a perfect fit to Kingsbury’s scheme if it is similar to the one he ran with the Cardinals. He would add much needed depth on the Commanders’ offsensive line. If he can clean up a few technique issues, he has potential to develop into a quality starting guard early in his NFL career. He has obviously caught the Commanders’ interest with two meetings thus far in the scouting process.

Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images

Offense Skill Positions

Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan

5-11, 185 lbs, 4.39 40, RAS 7.46

2023 Stats: 15 games, 67 targets, 71.6% receptions, 789 yds, 221 YAC, 12 TD, 1 drop (2%)

Consensus Rank: 46

Commanders’ Meetings: Senior Bowl, Combine

Roman Wilson hails from Maui, but claims his parents are not Hawaiian. I have been unable to trace his background beyond that.

Wilson is an electrifying athlete with the speed to stretch the field and create matchup problems in coverage. He was underutilized in Michigan’s run-heavy offense and could provide a big play threat from the slot in a more wide open passing offense like Kliff Kingsbury played in Arizona.

Wilson has been rising up draft boards after a strong Senior Bowl week and Combine performance. It would be surprising if the Commanders’ used one of their current 2^nd round picks on a WR, and he is likely to be gone by the time they pick again in the third round. But a lot can happen between now and then. On the Commanders, Wilson would be poised to compete for a starting position in his first training camp.

George Holani, RB, Boise State

5-10, 208 lbs, 4.52 40, RAS 8.25

2023 Stats: 8 games, 134 att, 748 yds, 5.6 ypc, 7 TD, 17 rec, 199 yds

MIBV Draft Projection: Round 6 to UDFA

Commanders’ Meetings: Hula Bowl, East-West Shrine, Combine

Holani was a productive lead back for the Broncos. He missed the first 7 games of the 2023 season and still managed 947 yards from scrimmage while sharing touches with sophomore phenom Ashton Jeanty.

Jeanty, who finished the season with 1,916 yards from scrimmage and 19 TDs credits Holani with taking him under his wing and helping him grow as a player. That continued, even while Holani was sidelined and watched Jeanty take the starting role. While not a team captain, Holani was known as leader in the locker room, which is certain to appeal to GM Adam Peters, and could earn him a Gold Helmet if they are being awarded in Washington.

Holani is a compact back who keeps his legs pumping through contact to break tackles. In 2022, Holani forced 70 missed tackles and racked up 758 out of 1,156 total rushing yards after contact. His average of 3.43 yards after contact per rushing attempt ranked 14^th in the FBS. He is also a secure ball handler with only 4 lost fumbles out of 773 career touches (0.5%). Holani is not going to juke linebackers out of their cleats, but he has the burst and power to pick up chunk gains.

Holani also has good hands out of the backfield and finished his career with 88 receptions for 777 yards and 8 receiving TDs. He is a reliable screen target and only had 4 drops out of 106 targets (3.8%). Holani is described as a willing pass blocker, but will have to improve his technique to compete for snaps on passing downs.

On the Commanders, Holani would compete for the fourth RB spot on the depth chart, which is currently wide open. He would be a player they could play on special teams or stash on the practice squad while he develops his pass blocking skills. He fits the profile of late-round running who exceed expectations in the NFL. The Commanders have met with Holani three times, so there must be something that interests them.

Taulia Tagovailoa, QB, Maryland

5-11, 200 lbs

2023 Stats – Passing: 12 games, 290/437 (66.4% completions), 3,377 yds, 25 TD, 11 INT

2023 Stats – Rushing: 68 att, 18 yds, 5 TD

2023 Total QBR: 73.7 (25^th)

MIBV Projection: Round 7/Priority UDFA

Commanders’ Meetings: East-West Shrine Game

The younger brother of Dolphins’ starter Tua Tagovailoa is an accomplished 5^th year senior who ended his college career as three year starter for Maryland. He seems to have liked college so much that he applied for an extra year of eligibility, but the NCAA denied the waiver request.

Taulia is an experienced starter with above average athleticism and average arm talent. He is an accurate passer and fires throws with good velocity on short and intermediate throws, but has a tendency to float deep passes leading to undesirable outcomes. Taulia uses savvy and athleticism to extend plays, but inconsistent vision and decision making can lead to trouble when facing pressure.

Taulia’s draft stock is likely have got a boost from his standout performance in the East-West Shrine game where he showcased his ability to extend plays with his legs and make accurate throws off platform.

The younger Tagovailoa profiles as a backup QB in the NFL and could be valued by teams seeking an inexpensive backup for a mobile starter. If the Commanders draft a mobile QB in the first round, he could be an option to consider at the end of the draft or as a priority free after the draft.

Defense

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Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA

6-5, 259 lbs, 4.64 40, RAS 9.12

2023 Stats: 12 games, 38 tackles, 33 stops, 15 sacks (3^rd), 62 pressures (5^th), 24% missed tackle rate, 3 forced fumbles

Consensus Rank: 16

Commanders’ Meetings: Senior Bowl, Combine, Team Pro Day

Don’t get too excited. Unless something unexpected happens, Latu will be drafted between the Commanders’ first two picks. Should he become available at their second pick, the team will have the opportunity to add the most advanced edge defender in the draft class, who draws comps to T.J. Watt.

Latu has an enticing combination of technical mastery, athleticism, power, and a non-stop motor at a position of high need. There are no obvious flaws to his game. The only significant concerns are medicals concerning a past neck injury.

Latu profiles as a Day 1 impact starter with All Pro potential. Should the opportunity arise, Adam Peters will be faced with a tough choice between drafting a long term solution with elite potential on the edge or addressing the glaring need at offensive tackle.

The Commanders have met with Latu three times.

Jonah Elliss, EDGE, Utah

6-2, 248

2023 Stats: 10 games, 23 tackles, 25 stops, 13 sacks (5^th), 39 pressures, 20.7% missed tackle rate, 1 forced fumble

Consensus Rank: 79

Commanders’ Meetings: Combine

Elliss is on the small side to be a full time edge defender and lacks ideal strength for the positon. As a draft prospect he profiles similarly to his brother Kaden who has become a productive linebacker with the Panthers and Falcons. His father Luther was a DT for the Detroit Lions and his brothers Christian and Noah have also been on NFL rosters.

Despite lacking ideal measurables, Elliss was a highly producive edge rusher for the Utes. He compensates with an active motor, quick hands and feet, good bend and pass rush moves, which allow him to bring constant pressure on passing downs. His lack of strength and functional power limits his effectiveness in run defense.

He projects as an outside linebacker with starting potential in 3-4 defense, but could be limited to a rotational pass rushing role with the Commanders unless he can play off ball linebacker as well.

Marist Liufau, LB, Notre Dame

6-2, 234 lbs, 4.56 40

2023 Stats – run/rush: 12 games, 43 tackles, 22 stops, 18.9% miss rate, 5 sacks, 25 pressures

2023 Stats – coverage: 11 tgt, 10 rec, 62 yds, 12 stops, 0 INT, 1 PBU, forced inc. 18% (4^th in class), 17.9 snp/rec

MIBV Projection: Round 4-5

Commanders’ Meetings: Combine

Liufau is an extremely fast and athletic linebacker who excels in coverage and as a pursuit defender. He plays with good football IQ and field awareness, but can be let down by poor instincts to diagnose plays in run defense. When he does get the read right he has a strong closing burst to arrive at the ball carrier with extreme violence that is sure to put a smile on Joe Whitt’s face.

Liufau is also a good blitzer, using speed to dart past blockers and generate pressure. That could make him a fit to Washington’s new defense, assuming Whitt continues to use pressure from all over the formation, as his boss did in Dallas.

The big question mark with Liufau is whether the hesitancy and poor reads reflect a processing limitation or if he can improve with study and coaching to slow the game down and improve his recognition, as we saw with Jamin Davis. If he can learn to read his keys more quickly, he has potential to develop into an above average starter.

Sione Vaki, S, Utah

5-11, 210 lbs, 4.62 40, RAS 8.53

2023 Stats – defense: 12 games, 48 tackles, 17 stops, 14.3% miss rate, 2 sacks, 9 pressures, 20/29 receptions, 218 rec yds, 1 cov TD, 1 INT, 1 PBU

2023 Stats – offense: 7 games, 42 att, 317 yds (7.5 Y/A), 2 TD, 11/14 rec (78.6%), 203 yds, 3 TD

MIBV Projection: Rounds 6-7/Priority UDFA

Vaki is one of the most interesting players in the draft. He played free safety for the Utes, but is probably best as a box safety in the NFL. He is a great tackler with a nose for the ball in run support and in special teams coverage. He also adds value as a blitzer. However, he is not great in coverage, which could limit his value on defense.

In 2023, he took snaps on offense to fill in for injured ball carriers and put up impressive numbers. The draft profiles will tell you he isn’t really an NFL running back or receiver, but the numbers paint him more as a big play threat. Against Cal, he rushed for 158 yards and 2 TDs on 15 attempts, with a long of 72. Against USC, he caught 5/6 targets for 149 yds and 2 TDs, with a long reception of 53 yards. That is pretty impressive for a defensive player coming off the bench to help out.

Vaki could be an interesting player for the Commanders to take a flyer on toward the end of Day 3. He could contribute right away on special teams while the coaching staff explore what he could contribute on defense and whether there is anything to his big play ability on offense. He might even be worth a try out on kick returns.

Darius Muasau, LB, UCLA

6-0, 225 lbs, 4.7 40, RAS 5.99

2023 Stats – run/rush: 13 games, 73 tackles, 38 stops, 14.1% miss rate, 4 sacks, 18 pressures

2023 Stats – coverage: 25 tgt, 19 rec, 171 yds, 12 stops, 1 PBU, 1 INT, forced inc. 4%, 15.2 snp/rec

MIBV Projection: Round 7/Priority UDFA

Commanders’ Meetings: Hula Bowl, East-West Shrine, Combine

The Commanders have met with Muasau three times, which seems like a lot of attention for a player who is projected as a late Day 3 pick or priority free agent. What could be drawing their interest?

Muasau was a five year starter, beginning his career in his native Hawaii before transferring to UCLA for his final two seasons. He was a very productive run stopper in college. He plays with a strong motor and unrelenting drive to make plays on the ball. Good initial quickness combined with great instincts and play recognition allows him to quickly close lanes and stop runners short. However, he does miss a fair number of tackles (career miss rate 15.9%).

He plays adequately in underneath zone coverage, but his ability to stick with receivers is limited by a lack of long speed. He was also a reasonably productive blitzer, generating 5 sacks and 35 total pressures in his final two seasons at UCLA.

Muasau was the best linebacker at the Shrine Bowl, which the Commanders attended, standing out for his physicality against the run and showing great burst and fluidity in coverage. Muasau was also the loudest linebacker on the field and demonstrated an ability to call defenses.

He projects as a backup LB whose best chance to earn playing time early in his career will be on special teams.

Further Reading

To learn more about the role of Polynesians in American football, head to the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame website.