Jay Toia DL UCLA | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Jay Toia DL UCLA
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| SUB-POSITION: NT/DT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 09/21/2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 5.20 seconds (12%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 21.5 DOB: 07/16/2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| SUB-POSITION: NT/DT | |
| Last Updated: 09/21/2024 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 5.20 seconds (12%*) | |
| Age: 21.5 DOB: 07/16/2003 | |
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| Overall Rating: | 77.3 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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79% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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36% |
| Pass Rush: |
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64% |
| Run Defense: |
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65% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
UDFA
Overall Rank:
#307
Position rank:
#56
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| College Games: 49 College Snaps: 1554 | ||
ESPN RATING: 83/100
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247 RATING: 92/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.8 (95%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Myles Murphy - North Carolina |
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82% |
| Nesta Jade Silvera - Arizona State |
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77% |
| Justin Rogers - Auburn |
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76% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Jay Toia is a massive interior defensive lineman who has been a fixture on UCLA's defensive front over the past three seasons. The 6'3", 325-pound defensive tackle originally enrolled at USC in spring 2021 before transferring to UCLA later that year. A native of Tonga who grew up playing rugby, Toia was a highly-touted four-star recruit coming out of Grace Brethren High School in California.After appearing in all 12 games as a reserve in 2021, Toia became a full-time starter for the Bruins in 2022 and 2023. He started 24 games over the past two seasons, recording 58 total tackles, 7 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks. Toia was a key cog in UCLA's stout run defense that ranked 2nd nationally in 2023. He capped off his junior campaign with a dominant 10-tackle, 2 TFL performance against Pitt in the Sun Bowl, earning Lineman of the Game honors.
Despite briefly entering the transfer portal following the 2023 season, Toia elected to return to UCLA for his senior year in 2024. He'll look to anchor the Bruins' defensive front as they transition to the Big Ten conference.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Exceptional first-step quickness allows him to consistently fire off the ball and penetrate gaps
- Powerful bull rush that can drive interior linemen straight back into the pocket
- Violent, active hands to shed blocks and disengage from offensive linemen
- Impressive lateral agility and change of direction ability for a 325-pounder
- Uses leverage well to get underneath offensive linemen's pads and control the point of attack
- Strong anchor against double teams in the run game
- High football IQ with ability to quickly diagnose plays and locate the football
- Versatile defender who has experience lining up anywhere from 0-tech to 5-tech
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Limited pass rush arsenal beyond bull rush; needs to develop more refined counters
- Lacks ideal length for the position which can make it difficult to disengage at times
- Production doesn't match his physical tools, with only 2 career sacks in 3 seasons
- Can get washed out of plays when he plays with high pad level
- Conditioning may be a concern, as he often comes off the field on obvious passing downs
Scouting Report: Summary
Toia profiles as a classic run-stuffing nose tackle at the next level who can anchor the interior of an NFL defensive line. His combination of size, strength, and first-step explosiveness will allow him to eat up double teams and be disruptive against the run. While he shows flashes as a pass rusher, Toia likely won't offer much in that department early in his career.His ideal fit would be as a 0-tech or 1-tech in an even front defense that prioritizes stopping the run. Toia has the tools to develop into a solid rotational piece and potential starter in the right system. His ceiling will largely depend on whether he can expand his pass-rush repertoire and become more of a three-down player.
With another year of development at UCLA, Toia has a chance to solidify himself as a Day 2 draft prospect in 2025. His rare blend of size and athleticism gives him a solid upside, but he'll need to show more consistency and production as a senior to maximize his draft stock.
Written By:
Lennox Tate
How other scouting services rate Jay Toia (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
319.5
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
71.0
*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.