Devin Asiasi Overview
Position: Tight End
Height: 6’-3”
Weight: 257 pounds
School: UCLA
NFL Combine Performance Data
40-Yard Dash: 4.73 seconds
Bench Press: 16 reps
Vertical Jump: 30.5”
Broad Jump: 115.0”
Devin Asiasi 2020 NFL Draft Profile
After a slow start to his collegiate career, UCLA tight end Devin Asiasi caught fire during his the 2019 season. Last year, the California native played 719 snaps, recording 44 receptions on 68 targets for 641 yards and four touchdowns. He did all that while providing valuable support in the trenches as a run-blocker.
Asiasi initially joined the collegiate ranks as a four-star recruit with Michigan. His stay with John Harbaugh and company turned out to be a short one, as he left Michigan after one season. NCAA rules required him to miss the 2017 season, but he returned to the field in 2018. Despite the change of scenery, Asiasi still struggled to see the field. In total, he played in just 255 snaps, recording six receptions for 130 yards and one touchdown.
Strengths
- Built like an edge defender and the potential to physically dominate his matchups;
- Hard to take down in the open field – used build to drag defenders for extra yards;
- Capable of doing damage in the seam and making plays at all three levels of the field;
- Not afraid to make plays over the middle of the field;
- Reliable hands – only one drop in 2019;
- Contact from smaller defenders barely slows him down when he has a full head of steam.
Weaknesses
- Only one year of elite production, with most of it coming towards the end of the season;
- Reported weight fluctuation throughout career could be a sign of poor conditioning;
- Not blessed with deep speed – barely faster than your average linebacker;
- Subpar lateral movement/cuts on out-breaking routes;
- Despite his size, below-average contested catch rate.
NFL Comparison: Eric Ebron
Teams With Need at Position: Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins
Projection: 3rd round
Bottom Line on Devin Asiasi
In a class weak on tight end talent, Devin Asiasi could turn into the best in the class. While that might say more about the rest of the draft-eligible tight ends, Asiasi has the talent, build, and skill set required to develop into a reliable starter for years to come. The UCLA product is built like a defensive lineman and has all the tools to turn into an elite run blocker, once he refines his technique. He already knows how to use his size in the passing game, as he can shrug defenders off and drag would-be tacklers for extra yardage after the catch. He averaged 15.2 yards-per-reception and has the skills to make plays at all three levels of the field.
Asiasi is good, but he probably won’t ever become great. While he could develop into one of the better run-blocking tight ends in the league, he lacks the speed to be truly dominant in the passing game. While he has the size to overpower safeties, he doesn’t have the speed to blow past linebackers. Additionally, he’s below-average at hauling in contested catches, so teams could dramatically reduce his impact by covering him with a linebacker. That said, he’s still a solid starter that has the potential to make plays in both the run and pass game, which is more than what most of the tight end class can say.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
