Netane Muti Overview
Position: Guard
Height: 6’-3”
Weight: 315 pounds
School: Fresno State
Netane Muti 2020 NFL Draft Profile
After battling injuries for most of the past two seasons, Fresno State guard Netane Muti is eschewing his final year of eligibility in favor of the NFL Draft. The Hawaii native suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in 2019 but still managed to play 234 snaps. During his time on the field, Muti allowed just one sack, no quarterback hits, and three hurries.
Muti initially entered the college football ranks as a two-star prospect. Interestingly enough, the Hawaii native started the recruitment process as a defensive tackle and signed a letter of intent with the University of Hawaii. However, his application process got held up, and he ended up joining Fresno State. It’s a good thing he did, as they put Muti at guard in 2017 and he has one of the best seasons in the entire country. Playing in 955 snaps, the Hawaii native didn’t allow a single sack and gave up just five hits and six hurries. This immediately made him one of the most interesting guards in the country, as it’s nearly impossible to perform at that level as a freshman.
Unfortunately, Muti never managed to completely build on his redshirt freshman season. In 2018, an Achilles injury limited him to just 84 snaps. During his limited time on the field, Muti didn’t allow a single sack, hurry or quarterback hit. He returned in 2019, but suffered yet another injury midway through the season.
Strengths
- Ferocious, unstoppable force when at his very best;
- Ideal strength for the position, moves defensive linemen around like they’re punters;
- Never gives up on the play and routinely drives his guy into the ground;
- Fundamentally sound, does everything you want with his hands;
- Just as dominant as a pass blocker as he is a run blocker.
Weaknesses
- Hasn’t had a fully healthy season since 2017;
- Relatively slow on his feet and can get exposed in space;
- Never faced the best of the best in college;
- Takes a while to hit his stride as a pull blocker;
- Good, but not great, as a zone blocker.
NFL Comparison: Larry Warford
Teams With Need at Position: Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks
Projection: Round 2
Bottom Line on Netane Muti
If he’s healthy, Netane Muti is a first-round talent and has a chance to develop into one of the five or 10 best guards in the league. At 6’-3” and 315 pounds, Muti has the ideal height and weight to play in the NFL. Having the size is one thing, but Muti knows how to use it. The Fresno State product is a dominant force in the run game capable of matching up against any defender and completely leveling them. He never has his arms pushed away once engaged, plays through the whistle, and does everything you’d like when healthy. He’s just as good in the pass game, although he’s admittedly not quite as flashy. Ultimately, he’ll be a starter for as long as he’s healthy.
Of course, the health ailments are serious red flags. After staying healthy throughout his freshman year, Muti suffered a ruptured Achilles injury in 201, forcing him to miss the vast majority of the season. His injury woes continued in 2019 when he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury after 234 snaps. There are some other things to nitpick, but the injuries are the only serious issues of note. If these injuries are chronic, then he’ll be one of the bigger “what if” cases in recent memory. If it’s nothing but bad luck, then he’ll be an absolute steal for whatever team rolls the dice.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
