Dallas Afalava DL Wake Forest |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #52 SUB-POSITION: DT 3-TECH | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 11/02/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.90 seconds (61%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jersey: #52 | |
| SUB-POSITION: DT 3-TECH | |
| Last Updated: 11/02/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.90 seconds (61%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
74.5 / 100
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
|
73% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
|
30% |
| Pass Rush: |
|
70% |
| Run Defense: |
|
60% |
|
DRAFT PROJECTION:
UDFA
Overall Rank:
#439
Position rank:
#61 (DL)
|
||
| College Games: 47 College Snaps: 1767 | ||
| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ifeanyi Maijeh - Rutgers |
|
86% |
| Kalia Davis - UCF |
|
84% |
| Tyre West - Tennessee |
|
77% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Dallas Afalava was a two-time first-team all-league defensive tackle at Rainier Beach High School in Seattle, also earning all-league honors on the offensive line. He began his college career at Idaho of the FCS.Afalava led Idaho with eight tackles for loss and five sacks in 2023, then added four sacks in 2024. He transferred to Wake Forest for 2025 and started all 13 games, making 5.5 tackles for loss and three sacks with an interception, a forced fumble and a blocked kick, including 1.5 sacks in the Duke's Mayo Bowl.
Now a senior on the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year watch list, Afalava has 25 pressures in eight games. He had six pressures in the win at Louisville, intercepted a pass against Stanford and sacked the quarterback in the 51-7 win over Virginia on 31 October.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Disruptive interior rusher, with 25 pressures in eight games
- Six pressures in the 30-27 win at Louisville
- Intercepted a pass against Stanford, showing good hands for a lineman
- Sacked the quarterback in the 51-7 win over Virginia
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Tackling is a major problem, with six misses this season after nine in each prior year
- Run defense is inconsistent, and he can be moved off his spot
- Missed two tackles in the game at Purdue
- Has been penalized three times in eight games
- Pressure has not turned into many sacks against Power Four lines
Scouting Report: Summary
Afalava is an active, disruptive interior rusher who has produced at two levels. He gets into the backfield often, with 25 pressures this season and six at Louisville, and he has a knack for making plays on the ball, as his interception against Stanford showed.However, his tackling is a real problem, with nine misses in each of 2024 and 2025 and six already this year. His run defense is inconsistent, and he has three penalties.
Overall, Afalava has the quickness to help as a pass-rushing tackle. He projects as a priority free agent sub-package interior rusher.
How other scouting services rate Dallas Afalava (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
307.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
52.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.