Henry To’oto’o NFL Draft Overview
Position: Linebacker
Height: 6′-1″
Weight: 227 pounds
School: Alabama
2023 NFL Draft: Henry To’oto’o Scouting Report
After spending the early portion of his college career at Tennessee and Alabama, Henry To’oto’o has declared for the 2023 NFL Draft. The linebacker hits the big stage at the right time, as the 2022 season was easily the best of his career. Appearing in 13 games, To’oto’o finished the season with 94 tackles, eight tackles-for-loss, and 2.5 sacks.
Henry To’oto’o entered the college football world as a big-name signing for Tennessee. During his first year there, he became a Freshman All-American. He maintained his solid play in 2020, recording 68 tackles, 7.5 tackles-for-loss, and one sack in nine game. After two seasons, he transferred to Alabama for the 2021 season. His first season was more of the same, as he recorded 111 tackles, 7.5 tackles-for-loss, and four sacks in 15 games.
Strengths
- Downhill player that doesn’t shy away from contact;
- Attacks in a straight line to get to the ball carrier;
- Follows rushing lanes and holes in the line;
- Can detach from blocks to pursue the ball carrier;
- Four-year starter at two separate SEC programs.
Weaknesses
- Slow anticipation – needs to trust his instincts more;
- Not as hard of a hitter as you’d like in the middle of your defense;
- Small build – 31st percentile height and 9th percentile weight;
- Unimpressive athleticism – very bad when combined with smaller build;
- Can’t go sideline to sideline;
- Nothing special in coverage, tends to lose receivers in zone.
NFL Comparison: Nick Kwiatkoski
Teams With Need at Position: Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots
Projection: Round 6
Bottom Line on Henry To’oto’o
It’s going to be hard to find a role for Henry To’oto’o at the NFL level. However, there are quite a few things he does well that will make a team take a late-round risk on him. He plays the game the right way, as he’s not afraid to run into the middle of the action and hit the ball carrier with everything he’s got. When a defender gets their hands on him, he keeps fighting to get at the runner until the whistle is blown. Additionally, he was also good enough to start for four years at two separate SEC programs, and that definitely counts for something.
That being said, it’s hard for a player with To’oto’o’s traits and general build to make it in the NFL. As mentioned earlier, To’oto’o attacks running backs and hits them with everything he has. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have much, as he’s considerably smaller than your average linebacker. He likely doesn’t have the size to play true middle or strong side linebacker, so he’ll have to spend his career on the weak side. This isn’t a kiss of death in of itself, but playing the weak side usually requires quite a bit of athleticism, range, and anticipation.
Unfortunately, To’oto’o doesn’t have that much of any of those aforementioned traits. For a smaller prospect, his athletic testing left a lot to be desired and his game tape isn’t nearly as fast as his 4.62 40-yard dash implies. He struggles to go sideline to sideline, in large part because his anticipation just isn’t there. He seems afraid to trust his instincts, and when you don’t have the elite speed to make up for that indecision, it means that ball carriers get more yards than they should. This lack of anticipation also shows up in coverage, as he can get out of position when faced with complicated route packages.
Ultimately, Henry To’oto’o has the right attitude and playstyle, but his lack of size and athleticism probably means he won’t be anything more than a special teams player.
