Tyler Luatua is one of the most versatile athletes in the 2014 recruiting class and figures to attract national interest from top BCS programs. The La Mirada (Calif.) product is being primarily recruited as a tight end; he's strong enough to run block while additionally coming out of the backfield to catch passes.
Luatua currently holds offers from over two dozen schools, including Alabama, Notre Dame, USC, Florida State, Miami and Michigan.
Luatua stands at 6'4" and weighs around 230 pounds. A consensus four-star recruit, Luatua ranks as the 49th-best national player on Rivals and also is considered the sixth-best athlete in this class. Luatua is ranked 37th overall in the ESPN150; ESPN also considers him the top tight end and the third-best recruit in the state of California. 247Sports places Luatua as the 84th-best national prospect, the eighth-best recruit in California, and the top tight end overall. Scout positions Luatua second overall among top tight ends.
Derrell Warren, West Coast Recruiting Analyst (@yssd): Luatua is one of the best tight ends on the West Coast. He's a prospect that comes from good bloodlines as his brother currently plays for Alabama.
One of the most physically imposing tight end prospects, Luatua has the frame (6-4, 235) and strength to eventually grow into an ideal in-line tight end with plus level ability as a pass catcher.
Luatua isn't quite the most natural pass catcher as he struggles at times to pluck the ball away from his frame. On film he is used in a variety of different ways for his high school team. While he projects best as an in-line player, he is also used in the slot, out wide, and also as a "move" tight end due to his movement skills.
Luatua runs a nice assortment of routes and creates matchup issues for defenses, considering his ability to wall off smaller defensive backs and his lateral burst allow him to create separation from linebackers when asked to motion across the formation.
An elite physical specimen in terms of his frame, Luatua carries upside as a two-way tight end. He has yet to fully tap into his potential considering he plays on both sides of the ball. However, he will have a chance to maximize his ceiling once he has a chance focus on playing strictly tight end at the college level.
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