The Detroit Lions went out and got their guys at the 2024 NFL draft. One of the guys that they really seemed to have wanted was Utah safety/running back Sione Vaki.
The Lions had plenty of pre-draft meetings with players, but they had by far the most with Vaki. They wanted him bad enough that they traded up to get him.
We wanted to get to know Vaki a little more, so we reached out to Utah beat writer Josh Furlong of Utah Athletics to get the scoop. Here's what he had to say:
What are your overall thoughts on Vaki’s time at Utah?
"Sione Vaki is an incredibly talented and versatile athlete that we only got to see a little bit of in his time at Utah. Late in the 2022-23 season, he found himself in the starting lineup and showed his potential on defense, and then really stepped it up last season on both sides of the ball. There's no doubting his talent, given his natural abilities to go both ways on the ball, but I'm not sure we fully got to see his potential since he only had one true full season as a starter for the Utes. Personally, I think one more year at the collegiate level would have served him well, but he's got the skill set and work ethic to really develop in the NFL."
What are his strengths?
"Though he didn't showcase it well at the NFL Combine, Vaki has great breakaway speed. On offense, when he found a hole, he turned up the speed a notch to finish for big gains time and time again. Defensively, that helped him to cover much of the field to close out on his opponents. He's also patient enough and has great technique to match up with his opponent and lay the blow for a solid tackle."
What are his weaknesses?
"He doesn't always have great hip movement to shift in different routes on defense. On offense, the biggest weakness is honestly just not having a ton of playing time on that side of the ball. At first, he was used more as a gadget player on offense, but was then worked into the offense a bit more before needing to focus solely on defense (more so to preserve health). He has great upside on offense, and has shown clear flashes of brilliance, but he's still a bit unproven in how that translates as a full-time player on that side of the ball. He played offense in high school as well, but that's year's removed."
The Lions plan to use him primarily on offense and special teams, do you think he can be a safety in the NFL?
"I don't have any doubts he can play safety at the NFL level, but there's still more for him to learn to be a consistent contributor. With Vaki, though, he just needs his foot in the door and he'll be able to showcase his talent. He's a dedicated, hard worker that puts his all into whatever he does. There's a lot of outside pressure for him to succeed in the NFL, which could either be a motivating driver or it could become too much pressure, but I think he uses it more as a driving factor."
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