JUCO Visit Josh Saafi

UNTLifer · December 9, 2017

p_phelps · December 9, 2017

Size is impressive, tape and stats aren't so much.

Caw Caw · December 9, 2017

He was a corner/safety in high school. DNP his senior season because a of serious upper body injury. Was told they want to move him around and find the right fit.

TheReal_jayD · December 13, 2017

https://twitter.com/jsaafi9/status/940763490406535169

p_phelps · December 13, 2017

7 minutes ago, TheReal_jayD said:

https://twitter.com/jsaafi9/status/940763490406535169

Nothing there?

TheReal_jayD · December 13, 2017

47 minutes ago, p_phelps said:

Nothing there?

Edited December 13, 2017 by BillySee58

MeanGreen13 · December 13, 2017

committed.

p_phelps · December 13, 2017

I'm a bit confused on this one, while he has great size, his stats are not good to be nice and his tape isn't either. Are we sure he isn't a PWO?

Harry · December 13, 2017

jtm0097 · December 13, 2017

He was quick off the ball and good at shedding blocks. Mostly D2 offers, but hopefully he contributes in the DL rotation.

UNTLifer · December 13, 2017

On 12/9/2017 at 1:09 PM, Caw Caw said:

He was a corner/safety in high school. DNP his senior season because a of serious upper body injury. Was told they want to move him around and find the right fit.

Are you sure he was a DB? His size and speed do not lead me to believe that he was a DB.

TheReal_jayD · December 13, 2017

3 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

Are you sure he was a DB? His size and speed do not lead me to believe that he was a DB.

https://www.hudl.com/video/3/472232/5721a9a60428ae20e4892d96

UNTLifer · December 13, 2017

Thanks. Looks like a LB in that video. Anyone know the details of the serious upper body injury he sustained?

TreeFiddy · December 13, 2017

I like seeing players from Trinity matriculate to Denton.

TreeFiddy · December 13, 2017

It looks like he graduated in 2012 and his Juco bio says he was a freshman last year. With the gap in time from graduation, and the fact that he must still have eligibility, I am thinking it's possiblehe went on a religious mission for a few years. It would help explain the gap in his timeline.

Looks like as a junior in HS he was the #96 rated OLB in the nation before tearing the UCL in his elbow (possibly during junior season) and missed most of his senior season. After that, interest dried up.

From what I have been able to piece together, he should be 24 years old as of October so hopefully he can as productive as Sarge McCoy was who came to UNT after a stint in the military. He will be older than most of the other players. Could be a steal with potentially 3 years remaining and certainly at a position of need.

ETA: Appears to possibly have a little (younger) brother, Saulala, that is a junior and plays DT at 6-1, 280lbs at Trinity (1st team all district in 5-6A). I am sure he played the other day at Apogee against Allen.

Edited December 13, 2017 by TreeFiddy

UNTLifer · December 13, 2017

Thanks for the research. Hope he pans out.

emmitt01 · December 13, 2017

Would love to have little brother. He was the focus of that defense according to friends that follow Trinity

TheReal_jayD · December 13, 2017

4 hours ago, emmitt01 said:

Would love to have little brother. He was the focus of that defense according to friends that follow Trinity

https://wew.hudl.com/video/3/6364431/5a2eae2f041ef5187438a8c2

I'll take him

UNT Mean Green · December 13, 2017

11 hours ago, jtm0097 said:

He was quick off the ball and good at shedding blocks. Mostly D2 offers, but hopefully he contributes in the DL rotation.

Exactly. Large frame, with raw athleticism. Looks like he can be molded easily, considering he has played all over the defense through his career. One thing about this staff, they have proven to have keen ability to identify and develop players with similar attributes.

TheReal_jayD · December 13, 2017

30 minutes ago, UNT Mean Green said:

Exactly. Large frame, with raw athleticism. Looks like he can be molded easily, considering he has played all over the defense through his career. One thing about this staff, they have proven to have keen ability to identify and develop players with similar attributes.

I love this trinity pipeline that's has started. Also want to point out the people upset he has 0 fbs offers. Sosaia Mose has 0 fbs offers. And he started ever conference game and was cusa all conference this year I believe

GMG24 · December 13, 2017

9 hours ago, TreeFiddy said:

It looks like he graduated in 2012 and his Juco bio says he was a freshman last year. With the gap in time from graduation, and the fact that he must still have eligibility, I am thinking it's possiblehe went on a religious mission for a few years. It would help explain the gap in his timeline.

Looks like as a junior in HS he was the #96 rated OLB in the nation before tearing the UCL in his elbow (possibly during junior season) and missed most of his senior season. After that, interest dried up.

From what I have been able to piece together, he should be 24 years old as of October so hopefully he can as productive as Sarge McCoy was who came to UNT after a stint in the military. He will be older than most of the other players. Could be a steal with potentially 3 years remaining and certainly at a position of need.

ETA: Appears to possibly have a little (younger) brother, Saulala, that is a junior and plays DT at 6-1, 280lbs at Trinity (1st team all district in 5-6A). I am sure he played the other day at Apogee against Allen.

He did, and played well. He was outsized pretty badly as Allen OL looks like an SEC OL and leaned on him all game long.

UNTLifer · December 13, 2017

Question: When you are Tongan/Samoan, do you really have a little brother?

As @UNT Mean Green noted above, he has a great frame and is athletic. I am excited to see how he develops. Oh, and if his "little" brother would like to join him, then so be it.