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Just like his brother, quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, Matayo was a five-star recruit wanted by everybody. He, like several other talents along the defensive line (three of which were just drafted this past April), chose Oregon partially because of the coaching staff the program had on that side of the ball in particular. Defensive Coordinator Tosh Lupoi called Ugalelei “as raw as one could be coming out of high school” but the tools were hard to ignore.
As a true freshman in 2023 he played in a rotational role that saw him move all over the front. The techniques and awareness were not on par with the physical talent, as he had multiple pressures in just two out of 13 games with a rate of just six percent. This is where things turned, however. And this is where NFL evaluators are going to be pulled by the magnetic force his upside creates. In 2024 his playing time essentially doubled and he turned the opportunity into earning first team All-Big Ten honors after leading the conference in regular season sacks. Uiagalelei was moved in and out of different edge roles and it helped increase that pressure rate all the way up to 10%.
The son of a bodyguard and six-time surrogate in addition to being an entrepreneur at heart (has a career in hip hop and fashion on the side), Uiagalelei has a level of unique-ness that very few prospects in the 2026 Draft will have. He plays a premium position with plenty of NFL-caliber coaching (Lupoi coached defensive lines for three pro teams) developing his craft. He is both violent and athletic with an energy switch that never turns down. And most importantly, the development appears to be on a rapid ascent as he approaches his 20th birthday in early July.
Here are the start of my notes for Uiagalelei across the four most important ingredients to the scouting process via tape.
Burst. As a pure speed rusher up the edge, he has a hard time consistently beating the tackle to the meeting point. I want to see better snap anticipation to get the most out of his limited pure burst on that heavy frame (6’5”/270). That lack of pure play speed does show up in pursuit as well, as quarterbacks Will Howard and Drew Allar were able to evade him in space. This is not something that appears to stand out as a significant strength but it is “good enough”.
Power. At his size, there is a natural ability to create force. Add in his aggressive nature and the power presence of his hands can be the difference maker on Sundays. There is a violent jolt he delivers to the blocker, tackles in particular, that re-directs their footwork and weight distribution. Now that his skill set (techniques) are developing, that power can easily turn into his superpower that is always there. He has yet to play a game outside of his teenage years so where he’s currently at in this area creates an incredibly positive outlook for where it will be in a few seasons.. Almost all elite edge defenders have a power game at their disposal.
Bend/Agility. If I could look nine months into the future and see that Uiagalelei was not a first rounder in the 2027 Draft, this would be my guess why. He has tight hips and it shows up in two areas. When he needs to unexpectedly adjust his direction, he tends to straighten at the knee too much which provides a wide target for the blocker. While he can initially bend on pre-planned rush moves, it is too inconsistent right now. He does not get under the pads of the blocker often enough.
Versatility. To be a high draft pick with this frame and level of athletic ability, a prospect needs to be effective at multiple roles. Just like his power noted above, Uiagalelei has the potential to be THE guy with the highest grade in the class here. Whether an NFL team runs a 4-3 or 3-4 base front, he fits. Whether they want him standing or playing the inside shoulder of a tackle with his hand in the dirt, he fits. Whether they want to bias his usage against the pass or rush, he fits. All of the ducks are lined up for him to be the most versatile defensive front player in the class and if the ascent continues from being “as raw as it gets in 2023” to where he is now, Uiagalelei can be a top five selection.