Moliki Matavao TE UCLA | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Moliki Matavao TE UCLA
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Inline Multi-Role TE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 02/05/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.81 seconds (41%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 21.11 DOB: 03/17/2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: Inline Multi-Role TE | |
| Last Updated: 02/05/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.81 seconds (41%*) | |
| Age: 21.11 DOB: 03/17/2003 | |
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| Overall Rating: | 81.4 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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78% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 88.1 | |
| Hands: |
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76% |
| Short Receiving: |
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73% |
| Intermediate Routes: |
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78% |
| Deep Threat: |
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54% |
| Blocking: |
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54% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
UDFA
Overall Rank:
#254
Position rank:
#14
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| College Games: 50 College Snaps: 1573 | ||
ESPN RATING: 81/100
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247 RATING: 93/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.9 (97%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Payne Durham - Purdue |
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79% |
| Cade Otton - Washington |
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77% |
| AJ Barner - Michigan |
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77% |
Draft Profile: Bio
A former top-ranked Nevada prospect who started his journey at Oregon before transferring to UCLA, Moliki Matavao has steadily developed into an intriguing tight end prospect for the NFL. The 6'6", 263-pound pass catcher emerged as a reliable target in UCLA's offense, leading the Bruins with 41 catches and 506 receiving yards in his final season. His path through college football showcases a player who wasn't afraid to bet on himself, making the bold move to transfer from Oregon to UCLA in search of a larger role in the passing game.At Liberty High School, Matavao dominated the Nevada prep scene, racking up over 1,000 receiving yards and establishing himself as one of the nation's top tight end recruits. His senior season was disrupted by COVID-19, but his talent was undeniable, earning him spots in both the All-American Bowl and Polynesian Bowl. After two years at Oregon where playing time was limited, Matavao's transfer to UCLA proved transformative, as he developed into an All-Pac-12 honoree and became the Bruins' most reliable receiving threat in 2024.
His collegiate career total of 74 receptions for 998 yards (13.5 yards per catch) might not jump off the page, but context matters here. Matavao's production took a significant leap in his final season at UCLA, where he showcased his potential with multiple 100+ yard receiving games, including a season-best 8-catch, 120-yard performance against Fresno State that had NFL scouts taking notice.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Natural hands catcher who extends away from his frame and shows impressive concentration in traffic, particularly evident in his 120-yard showing against Fresno State
- Exceptional feel for zone coverage, consistently finding soft spots and settling into windows with veteran-like awareness
- Tower of terror in the red zone at 6'6", using his frame effectively to box out defenders and high-point contested throws
- Shows nimble footwork for his size, particularly when working against zone coverage - can stop and start without losing balance
- Versatile alignment options - comfortable working inline, from the slot, or split wide, giving offensive coordinators multiple chess piece possibilities
- Reliable chain-mover in the intermediate game, posting a strong 78.2% grade on medium-range routes
- Natural spatial awareness when working against zone coverage, consistently finding and exploiting gaps between defenders
- Shows some nasty after the catch, willing to lower his shoulder and fight for extra yards when defenders challenge him
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Blocking technique needs significant refinement - often loses leverage and fails to sustain blocks through the whistle
- Struggles to separate against man coverage, lacking the explosive burst to create consistent space against NFL-caliber athletes
- Route tree remains somewhat limited - relies heavily on finding soft spots rather than crisp breaks and technical route running
- Lower body strength appears lacking on film, particularly evident when trying to drive defenders in the run game
- Change of direction ability is modest at best, limiting his potential as a yards-after-catch threat at the next level
Scouting Report: Summary
I'm convinced Matavao is built for modern NFL zone-heavy passing attacks. The film shows a tight end who consistently punishes defenses that lose track of him in coverage, particularly in that UCLA-Fresno State matchup where he worked the middle of the field like a veteran. Green Bay's offense stands out as an ideal landing spot - LaFleur's system perfectly matches how UCLA deployed him in 2024.The blocking concerns aren't going away overnight, but you're getting a 6'6" chain-mover who already knows how to use his frame in the red zone. Watch his touchdown against Washington - that's NFL-caliber spatial awareness against zone coverage. Give him a year to build up his lower body strength and refine his blocking technique, and you've got yourself a legitimate TE2 with upside for more.
This tight end class is loaded with height-weight-speed specimens who are still figuring out how to play the position. Matavao's different - he's got limitations athletically, but the game tape shows a natural football player who just gets it. Put him in a zone-heavy system where he can read coverage and find soft spots, and he'll outperform his draft position by year two.
Moliki Matavao percentiles vs other Tight Ends (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Moliki Matavao (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
258.3
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
18.0
*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.