An in depth and complete scouting report and draft prospect profile of Utah Defensive Back Sione Vaki for the NFL Draft.

Prospect: Sione Vaki

School: Utah

Age: 22

Sione Vaki Measurables:

• Height: 5’11” (NFL Combine)
• Weight: 210 (NFL Combine)

• 40:
  • 4.62 (NFL Combine)- 13/19
  • 4.51 (Pro Day)
• 10 Yard Split:
  • 1.54 (NFL Combine)- T-3/19
  • 1.57 (Pro Day)
• Vertical Jump: 39.5” (NFL Combine)- T-3/20
• Broad Jump: 10’5” (NFL Combine)- T-5/20
• 20 Yard Shuttle: 4.28 (Pro Day)
• 3 Cone: 7.16 (Pro Day)
• Bench: 20 (NFL Combine)- T-2/7
• Other Notes:
  • Measured in 1” shorter at Combine than ESPN had listed
  • Sione Vaki 40 was slower than we would’ve thought, definitely disappointing
    • We hate Pro Day times since they are hand time, but interesting to note the massive difference between Combine and Pro Day
  • Vaki footwork looking much better than his film
  • Tyler Nubin, Tykee Smith, Sione Vaki, and Evan Williams also in contention for best gauntlet run

Tape Watched: Washington, UCLA, USC, Oregon

Prospect Grade: 54% with upside

Projected Draft Day: Day 3

Player Comparison: Geno Stone

Best Team Fits: Baltimore Ravens

Sione Vaki Player Summary:

The  Positives

• Positional flexibility
  • Primarily a safety, but lined up at CB and Nickel. Also, played offense for the Utes
• Patient with pretty good reaction time
• Very smart, very aware zone player
• Very smart read option defender 

The Negatives

• Tackling is inconsistent
  • Washington Game was rough
  • UCLA Game was better, but not great
  • Tackling in Oregon game was bad
  • Takes really really poor angles
• Strength in question
  • Looks to lack strength for drag down tackling… Needs to start tackling lower, take them down at the legs 
  • Bench press is not the be all for strength, but Vaki putting up 20 reps was not on our bingo card
• Struggles to shed blocks
• Change of direction footwork needs some coaching
  • Rounds his breaks
• Despite his intelligence, it doesn’t feel like his body reacts as quick as he’s seeing it

Side Notes:

• The ability is there, consistency is missing, particularly in his tackling
• As a RB
  • A decent athlete with so-so change of direction (it varies from very good to not great). He’s a subtly powerful runner but does body catch. He’s probably day 3 if he were just running back with some upside

Sione Vaki may be the most versatile player in this draft. Not only can he play every spot in the secondary(and even some sub package LB), he plays offense. He has over 50 total touches, 500 total yards, and 5 total TDs. Vaki has the traits you can’t necessarily teach. He’s patient with good reaction time, and pairs that with intelligence, awareness, and instincts. The negatives are headlined by his strength that’s in question, and inconsistent tackling, but we think there’s a lot here to like. He may not be a 3 down player immediately, but he’s going to make someone very happy.

Updated 4/24/24:

• Combine numbers and rank added to measurable portion of profile
• Grade switched from “65%” to “54% with upside”
• Projection switched from “Day 2” to “Day 3”
• Comp switched from “Marcus Jones on a Mario Mega Mushroom” to “Geno Stone”
• “Baltimore Ravens” added as a Best Team Fit
• Negatives Added
  • Bench press is not the be all for strength, but Vaki putting up 20 reps was not on our bingo card
  • Tackling in Oregon game was bad
  • Takes really really poor angles
  • Despite his intelligence, it doesn’t feel like his body reacts as quick as he’s seeing it
  • Rounds his breaks
• Side Note Added
  • As a RB
    • A decent athlete with so-so change of direction (it varies from very good to not great). He’s a subtly powerful runner but does body catch. He’s probably day 3 if he were just running back with some upside