Commit Video Breakdown: Adding immediate strength on the DL
Oklahoma was able to strengthen their defensive line with immediate help when 2017 Norwalk (Cali.) Cerritos C.C. defensive tackle Dillon Faamatau announced Monday night he would be switching his commitment from USC to the Sooners while on a visit to Norman.
The 6-foot-4, 305-pound JUCO product will provide both added size and depth to a defensive line unit that many see as the biggest question mark in the OU defense.
Faamatau's power at the line of scrimmage is amplified when the large lineman maintains leverage and explodes off the ball. When that happens, Faamatau is nearly guaranteed to win the point of contact with what results in a compact and commanding punch.
That initial punch often gives the newest Sooner pledge space between himself and his blocker, which provides multiple avenues for Faamatau to shed his block, bring down a tackler, or pursue the quarterback. Faamatau's capability of to get off blocks is also a product of his heavy hands and how he uses them to manipulate offensive lineman. The highlight reel is full of example after example of the three-star locking his grip in the armpits of his deterrer and turning his shoulders however he sees fit.
The play at the 1:12 mark in the video below is also a nice example of how quickly Faamatau is able to win the point of contact and the control with which he stays under.
As the guard aggressively fires off the ball for this run, Faamatau's strong, wide base allows him to absorb the initial contact. Then watch as he turns his blocker's shoulders, as easy as if he were taking the lead in a dance, and then uses the guard's momentum against him, before filling the running lane to make the tackle.
Faamatau won't overwhelm you with his athleticism and ability to disrupt plays in the backfield, a la former Sooner defensive tackle All-Americans Tommie Harris and Gerald McCoy, but what he does provide is a battler in the trenches and someone who will not give an inch.
Oklahoma's final piece to the class of 2017 is more like a hybrid of Jordan Wade and Marquise Overton, as more of an immovable blockade between the offense and positive yardage.