The 2024 NFL Draft class appears to have a very strong group of offensive tackle prospects — and the Kansas City Chiefs have reason to be interested in them. As right tackle Jawaan Taylor settles into his long-term contract, quarterback Patrick Mahomes’s blind side is in the hands of 2023’s third-round pick Wanya Morris.
At the NFL Combine, it was revealed that the Chiefs had a conversation with one of the top offensive tackles: Oregon State right tackle Taliese Fuaga, who shared that he and Chiefs’ head coach Andy Reid had a conversation
Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga says he met with #Chiefs head coach Andy Reid at the NFL Combine.
Doubt Fuaga will be on the board when the Chiefs pick, but good to hear that Veach & Reid are covering all bases! pic.twitter.com/f2cqtMM03R
— Jace Andrews (@JaceAndrews_) March 2, 2024
Here’s what to know about this prospect:
Background
A three-star high school recruit from Tacoma, Washington, Fuaga committed to Oregon State with the 2020 class. After two years with little on-field action, he became the starting right tackle in 2022 — and didn’t look back. He earned second-team All-Pac 12 honors in his first year as a starter and was named to the first team in 2023.
Declaring for the draft as a redshirt junior, Fuaga participated in the Senior Bowl and accepted an invitation to the NFL Combine. There he checked in at 6 feet 6 and 324 pounds. His hands were measured at 10 1/8 inches, while his arms measured 33 1/8 inches.
At his size, his drill results were impressive. Most notably, he recorded a 32-inch vertical leap and a 9-foot-3 broad jump.
Film evaluation
The Beavers’ offense was explosive in 2023 — and the offensive line’s performance was a big factor in that success. Oregon State averaged almost 32 points per game with a reliable running game and a downfield passing attack.
THREAD: Oregon State RT Taliese Fuaga revealed he met with the #Chiefs at the Combine (per @JaceAndrews_ )
One of the top OL in the class is a big dude (6’6″ 324, 10 1/8″ hands) that gets off the ball fast & makes impact blocks with strong leg drive pic.twitter.com/AbqWlCSZ6f
— Ron Kopp Jr. (@Ron_Kopp) March 5, 2024
Fuaga can set the tone on the front side of runs, using his combination of size and mobility to pounce on defensive lineman and drive them with his strong legs. This gives ball carriers ample room to build momentum into their runs. He also shows good awareness as a run blocker; he can read defensive fronts and adjust his responsibilities on the move.
When he’s asked to get out into space, Fuaga looks comfortable working to off-ball defenders. He takes good angles to the 2nd level
It all starts with clean footwork off the snap pic.twitter.com/zOTj3eIBVG
— Ron Kopp Jr. (@Ron_Kopp) March 5, 2024
Fuaga’s spry movements begin right off the snap. As a run blocker, he shows clean, consistent footwork that he coordinates with good snap timing to put himself exactly where he needs to be. He takes good angles to the second level — and for his size, works in space.
So Fuaga would be an awesome guard at the next level — but he deserves a chance to continue playing tackle.
When pass blocking, Fuaga has a strong foundation of footwork to work with. He uses it to mirror rushers inside & out, bringing his big hands with him to prevent penetration pic.twitter.com/1jhi5uBX7i
— Ron Kopp Jr. (@Ron_Kopp) March 5, 2024
That’s because Fuaga’s good footwork also shows up in his pass sets — whether he’s getting depth against an outside rusher or jump-setting an edge defender. As those reps play out, he shows he can mirror rushers and their counter moves. This all comes from playing with a rock-solid foundation; his wide base allows him to stay balanced as he changes direction with the rusher.
That strong base shows up as he catches power or picks up pass-rush stunts
Fuaga does a great job staying square to the L.O.S., staying balanced to prevent pressure to either shoulder of his pic.twitter.com/ti9Ptl6B1r
— Ron Kopp Jr. (@Ron_Kopp) March 5, 2024
Those traits also show up as he takes on power rushers. Against these defenders, Fuaga does an excellent job of locking out his arms while engaged with the defender, establishing an even wider base to slow the defender’s penetration.
His ability to blunt power rushes shows up against stunts, too. Fuaga has the discipline to stay square to the line of scrimmage — so that when an edge rusher loops inside, he is ready to take on the interior rusher’s power to this inside shoulder.
How he fits with the Chiefs
Overall, Fuaga looks the part of a longtime NFL lineman. He absolutely has the build and functional athleticism to be a contributor at the next level. That’s why he ranked 14th on The Athletic’s consensus Big Board on February 21. In his latest Top 50 article, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah ranked him 10th.
But Fuaga probably isn’t the Chiefs’ future left tackle — mainly because he sometimes does display limitations as a pass protector; he can overset and play off-balance against a good speed rusher.
Latu got Fuaga off balance a few times with strong hand fighting.
Feels like Fuaga’s hand striking could be coached up to marry his feet better, eliminating some of clunkier reps against speed rushers pic.twitter.com/bhCXn3bIwH
— Ron Kopp Jr. (@Ron_Kopp) March 5, 2024
We see this here, as UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu gets him out of his strong base by threatening him with speed. Because Fuaga’s hand placement is shaky as he tries to handle a dynamic pass rusher, that leads to inside pressure.
If the draft fell in a way that Fuaga was within striking distance, he would be an enticing target for Kansas City. There’s just one problem: he may not fit within the team’s current makeup. He’s spent his career as a right tackle — so while it’s likely this is where he would be used most effectively, he could also be used as a guard.
If the Chiefs drafted Fuaga, I believe his best fit would be at right tackle. If there was an opening at guard, he would likely be a top-shelf player for the Chiefs.