The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/666058
COMMITMENT PROFILE FILM EVALUATION Strengths: Phillip Paea is an outstanding natural athlete with the size to be a big-time player up front. He's quick off the ball on either side of the line of scrimmage and has very good long speed for a player his size. He also plays with an edge and toughness that will make head coach Jim Harbaugh very happy during Paea's time in Ann Arbor. He finishes blocks and makes hits until the whistle, giving opponents something to think about next time they come his way. Areas Of Improvement: Though he's starting his Michigan career on defense, Paea is far more polished on the offensive side of the ball. He appears to simply be firing off at the snap and then figuring out what to do and where to go once the play starts (not necessarily a bad scheme for a high school employing a player of his talent). He has to learn to play with leverage and use his hands to get off blocks and disengage to make tackles. Too often, he is run out of the play, and then is able to tackle from behind thanks to his athleticism. He has the talent to take that to the next level. Michigan Player Comparison: Alan Branch (2004-06) was an outstanding athlete in high school who didn't have much experience playing defensive tackle — because he played running back in high school. Paea doesn't have that size yet, but the talent level isn't far off. — Analysis from TheWolverine.com