2020 Position Previews: Linebackers

For the past two seasons, Utah has had some of the most talented and productive starting linebackers in the entire Pac-12. They’ve also had remarkable good fortune avoiding injuries, with Cody Barton, Chase Hansen, Francis Bernard, and Devin Lloyd missing a cumulative two games to injury in 2018 and 2019.

This year, Utah’s linebacker situation looks similar as it did going into the 2019 season following the departure of Manny Bowen from the team. The Utes have one proven starter and several promising options to fight for the other starting job, as well as spots in the two-deep. Finding a solid linebacker corps that can mesh early on is critical to Utah’s defensive success this year. Fortunately, they will have a talented defensive line in front of them to help cover any growing pains the new starters experience, and with a few games to get into a rhythm, this linebacker corps has the potential to be an exciting group.

Linebackers

The Budding Star

Devin Lloyd, RS JR | 6-foot-3, 235 pounds | 2019 stats: 91 tackles, 11 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 1 INT, 1 TD

There were some justifiable concerns about the linebacker group last season when it was announced that Manny Bowen, the Penn State transfer who was expected to start alongside Francis Bernard, had left the program. Fortunately, those worries were soon forgotten with the emergence of Devin Lloyd. Lloyd started every game in 2019, led the team in tackles, and was second only to Bradlee Anae in sacks. His sophomore campaign earned him honorable mention All-Pac-12 status, as well as second team All-Pac-12 according to Pro Football Focus’s (PFF) ratings.

Lloyd should be an unquestioned leader on defense this season, as he is one of just two returning starters from 2019. His size, length, and athleticism make him a versatile linebacker that is just as dangerous in coverage as he is against the run. Just ask Oregon State’s Jake Luton, who had a pass picked off and returned 64 yards for a touchdown by Lloyd. With another outstanding season, combined with his measurables, it wouldn’t be out of the question to see Lloyd be an early NFL departure in 2021. He’s fast becoming a shining example of Utah’s player development track record.

The Contenders

Nephi Sewell, RS JR | 6-foot-0, 220 pounds | 2019 stats: 14 tackles

Sewell was used sparingly on defense last season, due to a delayed decision on a transfer waiver from the NCAA. Eventually it was approved, and Sewell played in the final three games of the season, at safety. Following Julian Blackmon and RJ Hubert’s injuries against Oregon, Sewell started at safety against Texas, and he struggled to be effective there against a speedy Longhorn team. During the offseason, Sewell changed positions to linebacker, a move that could benefit him and the team equally. He’s currently up to 220-225 and his true position for 2020 will be dependent on how the other guys below him on this list look during fall camp.

Andrew Mata’afa, RS SO | 6-foot-3, 225 pounds | 2019 stats: 5 tackles, 1 PBU

Mata’afa is another exciting prospect at linebacker, and likely would have seen more significant early playing time if he had been able to add weight more quickly. As of spring, Mata’afa was at 225, so another 10-15 pounds would put him at a near-ideal weight for a P5 backer. Mata’afa has shown flashes of greatness in practices- and has the rangy length and athleticism that allow him to attack plays from sideline to sideline. With so many questions about who will be starting alongside Lloyd, Mata’afa’s exciting potential and the experience he gained last season could bode well for his chances to see the field more often this year. Word is that he really took a giant step forward in his development in the latter half of the 2019 season.

The Newcomers

Jeremy Mercier, JR | 6-foot-4, 222 pounds

Mercier was a late find and addition for the Utes as part of their 2020 recruiting class. Coming from Hohokam Junior College, Mercier played two seasons at the JuCo level and earned co-defensive conference player of the year honors in 2019. Mercier is a bit of a hybrid defensive back/linebacker, and his athleticism will help him at the next level. It’s a tall order to ask a junior college transfer to make an instant impact at linebacker for the Utes, so we may not see much of Mercier on defense this season—Alex Markham calls it the “eight game rule,” which has proven to be pretty accurate. However, with time to learn the defense and get accustomed to Utah’s strength and conditioning program, Mercier has intriguing potential.

Junior Tafuna, FR | 6-foot-3, 235 pounds

Utah got a welcome surprise this year when Tafuna returned home early from his mission and joined the program a year earlier than anticipated. Part of the 2019 signing class, Tafuna was a key part of Bingham High School’s 2018 defense which featured the three-headed monster of him, fellow Utah signee Simote Pepa, and Lolani Langi. Tafuna’s film shows him to be a dual-threat linebacker that can be a hammer against the run, but who also has good instincts in pass coverage and the athleticism to cover a lot of ground quickly. While he’ll need to shake off mission rust, Tafuna seems one of the most likely of Utah’s new backers to contribute early on, so don’t be surprised to see him plenty on special teams in 2020.

Sione Fotu, FR | 6-foot-1, 220 pounds

Fotu is another Bingham product that had an outstanding high school career, which was capped with a 90 tackle, 2 INT performance as a senior that resulted in him being named a 6A first team all-state selection in 2019. Fotu’s highlights show him to be a quick player that has a nose for the ball and can anticipate where plays are going in order to get to the right spot. He shows good strength and aggression in coming up to stop the run or to muscle his way in for a sack, but is also a capable pass defender that can bait opposing quarterbacks into throwing his way and making them pay for it. Fotu may need to redshirt to add some weight, but once he’s up to 230-235 pounds, he could end up being a very exciting player to watch.

Graham Faloona, FR | 6-foot-3, 200 pounds

Faloona was one of Utah’s first commits of the 2020 class, and showed why Colton Swan was so high on him with a superb senior campaign. In 2019, he recorded 141 total tackles and left his high school as their all-time leading tackler. Faloona was thin even for a high school linebacker, but he has the frame to get to a good playing weight in college, so how early he contributes will depend largely on how quickly he can add weight and strength. Faloona’s film shows him to be a very dependable and consistent tackler that can get to the perimeter to defend runs to the outside. While his pass coverage ability isn’t shown much in his highlight film, he seems to have good awareness of what’s going on around him, which helps him get into position to make plays.

Ute Nation’s Take:

This isn’t the easiest position to predict and it’s going to keep Swan up at night until someone comfortably steps forward. Losing Trennan Carlson was a big blow to their experienced depth, but he wasn’t really making progress throughout 2019. Look for Mata’afa to have the biggest opportunity with with a newcomer also stepping up with the hopes of getting Sewell back to safety. Don’t count out Tafuna once he shakes off his rust, and Faloona has the talent where he could come on strong a little later into the season.