'14 CA TE Tyler Luatua (Back in Blue)

[Irishman77]

I actually hope he settles at ilb

 

[NDWorld247]

Tunnel vision guys stated that ND had said they liked him on D as well and was intrigued by the idea because he hadn't been recruited on D by others---this was a while ago so don't quote me...but we like him as BIG SKILL

Thanks for the info. Our TE depth moving forward allows us a lot of flexibility with a guy like Luatua...

2014 - Niklas, Koyack, Welch (if he's brought back, probably not likely), Heuerman, Smythe, Weishar - That's 5 guys (not incl Welch) without Luatua.

2015 - Heuerman, Smythe, Weishar, 2015 recruit

 

[NDdomer2]

I know he is very versatile but I have no idea why you would take the #1 TE by some and consensus top 3 TE and move him.

 

[GoIrish41]

I know he is very versatile but I have no idea why you would take the #1 TE by some and consensus top 3 TE and move him.

agree.

 

[NDWorld247]

I know he is very versatile but I have no idea why you would take the #1 TE by some and consensus top 3 TE and move him.

Reasons I wouldn't hesitate to move him:

1. I personally don't believe he is the #1 TE in this underwhelming TE class. Even if he is, there is not much difference between the #1 TE and the #10 TE.

2. We already have the #6 TE in the class committed. I don't think there is much difference between Weishar and Luatua.

3. We will never have a hard time recruiting TEs.

4. I LOVE the little bit I've seen of him on the defensive side of the ball.

5. I have spent a lot of time around Polynesian players and there is just something about them that screams defense.

6. As it stands right now, we are hurting for ILB depth in 2014 and beyond.

 

[koonja]

He wouldn't play ILB would he? I thought it was either olb or te for him.

 

[STLDomer]

He says he doesn't care but let's be honest, he probably prefers offense. And if he does play D, he's seen as a CAT.

Also NDWorld247, if they have their way, the three Polynesians we are recruiting would play O (Mama, Smith, Luatua)

 

[PANDFAN]

its been made before...but look at Anthony Barr...the guy had unreal athleticism, size, etc etc but his mind was set on RB and didn't want to play LB for us....so he goes to ucla doesn't do much at all on the offensive side and he and Mora both realized he needed to switch him to LB
..same kind of situation...an army all-american RB widely sought to be one of the top RB's in high school but physically at the college level needed to be elsewhere...same thing as Tyler..coaches sometimes know best

"All throughout high school I was told 'Play linebacker, play linebacker,'" Barr said.
Still, the 6-foot-4, 245-pound Barr could hardly have been blamed for wanting to remain an offensive threat; he averaged 171 rushing yards per game during his junior year at Loyola (Calif.) High. But after a broken ankle cut his senior year short and lingered throughout his freshman season at UCLA, Barr realized he was falling behind on the depth chart.

 

[woolybug25]

I wonder what he would rank as an OLB?

 

[woolybug25]

its been made before...but look at Anthony Barr...the guy had unreal athleticism, size, etc etc but his mind was set on RB and didn't want to play LB for us....so he goes to ucla doesn't do much at all on the offensive side and he and Mora both realized he needed to switch him to LB
..same kind of situation...an army all-american RB widely sought to be one of the top RB's in high school but physically at the college level needed to be elsewhere...same thing as Tyler..coaches sometimes know best

"All throughout high school I was told 'Play linebacker, play linebacker,'" Barr said.
Still, the 6-foot-4, 245-pound Barr could hardly have been blamed for wanting to remain an offensive threat; he averaged 171 rushing yards per game during his junior year at Loyola (Calif.) High. But after a broken ankle cut his senior year short and lingered throughout his freshman season at UCLA, Barr realized he was falling behind on the depth chart.

Can you imagine if Barr would have lined up next to Teo?

 

[NDWorld247]

He says he doesn't care but let's be honest, he probably prefers offense. And if he does play D, he's seen as a CAT.

Also NDWorld247, if they have their way, the three Polynesians we are recruiting would play O (Mama, Smith, Luatua)

Right, he would be moved to CAT with the other 17 players we currently "see" at that position. If he did play defense it would be because we need him on defense (ILB).

JuJu Smith? He's not Polynesian and I'm pretty sure we are recruiting him on defense. Is there another Smith you're talking about?

I wonder what he would rank as an OLB?

I wish recruiting services ranked guys on both sides of the ball instead of what position they think they would play. Like, get rid of the ATH position and rank those guys on O and D.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

He says he doesn't care but let's be honest, he probably prefers offense. And if he does play D, he's seen as a CAT.

Also NDWorld247, if they have their way, the three Polynesians we are recruiting would play O (Mama, Smith, Luatua)

Smith is Polynesians?

 

[Emcee77]

He says he doesn't care but let's be honest, he probably prefers offense. And if he does play D, he's seen as a CAT.

Also NDWorld247, if they have their way, the three Polynesians we are recruiting would play O (Mama, Smith, Luatua)

Yep. I remember Niklas wouldn't admit this till he moved but then he was all about it. IIRC his rationale was, there aren't too many OLBs in the NFL built like me ... but there are some TEs. It's a good point. Anyway I imagine Luatua's thought process would be similar ... physically he's a more natural TE.

 

[STLDomer]

Juju Smith is Polynesian and likes O though he is aware his upside is better on D so he switches back and forth which he prefers

Juju at the Prime Time Polynesian Camp

 

[Emcee77]

Ha, wow, I had no idea.

 

[NDWorld247]

Juju Smith is Polynesian and likes O though he is aware his upside is better on D so he switches back and forth which he prefers

Juju at the Prime Time Polynesian Camp

JuJu has stated ND is recruiting him for defense.

And you do realize the Polynesian camps/7ON teams are not off limits to non-Polynesian players, right?

 

[STLDomer]

JuJu has stated ND is recruiting him for defense.

And you do realize the Polynesian camps/7ON teams are not off limits to non-Polynesian players, right?

Yeah I know, and he also said he wishes ND would give him a look on O

I'm pretty sure I saw he was Polynesian before that camp. He also looks Polynesian, has someone told u he isn't? I could be wrong but I haven't seen anything to indicate he isn't

 

[NDdomer2]

doesnt look Poly to me.

 

[ACamp1900]

He looks Polynesian?? He could be, my wife is Filipino and looks nothing like it... but I wouldn't say he looks anything like Polynesian...

 

[Emcee77]

He looks Polynesian?? He could be, my wife is Filipino and looks nothing like it... but I wouldn't say he looks anything like Polynesian...

Right. I can't say for sure that the dude is or isn't Polynesian, but he definitely does not look like a full-blooded Polynesian to me.

He definitely does look like a freaking grown man who would be a beast of a safety for us. What an athlete. I'll freak out if we get him.

 

[STLDomer]

Not as much in the pic I posted but in others he looks Polynesian IMO. Would not suprise me if he was 50% or even less.

I also don't see why he would go to the Polynesian Camp if he wasnt Polynesian and haven't seen any other big names that went that weren't Polynesian

 

[NDdomer2]

Friends, chance to get better and compete? All likely. He def. could be part Poly too. Doesn't really matter though. Kid can ball

 

[Kaneyoufeelit]

I think he looks Irish.

That could be the gold and blue tinted lenses I'm wearing

 

[arrowryan]

There is a Polynesian only football camp? Interesting

 

[NDWorld247]

Not as much in the pic I posted but in others he looks Polynesian IMO. Would not suprise me if he was 50% or even less.

I also don't see why he would go to the Polynesian Camp if he wasnt Polynesian and haven't seen any other big names that went that weren't Polynesian

Smith is not Polynesian and he doesn't look Polynesian in any pictures. And, Adoree Jackson, among others, played for the Team AIGA (meaning family in Samoan). That does not make them Polynesian.

But let's get back to the point you were trying to make by listing Polynesians that prefer to play offense to discredit my belief (based on a lot of experience with Polynesian players) that there is something about Polynesians that screams defense. Oh wait, there was no point. Moving on...

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Anyway I love smith as a WR, but I'd take him at any position.

Anyway, back to Tyler...

 

[STLDomer]

Smith is not Polynesian and he doesn't look Polynesian in any pictures. And, Adoree Jackson, among others, played for the Team AIGA (meaning family in Samoan). That does not make them Polynesian.

But let's get back to the point you were trying to make by listing Polynesians that prefer to play offense to discredit my belief (based on a lot of experience with Polynesian players) that there is something about Polynesians that screams defense. Oh wait, there was no point. Moving on...

Dude chill out, I'm sorry I thought a that looks like he could be slightly Polynesian and is good friends w/ Mama & Luatua & went to a Polynesian camp might my Polynesian.


Has someone told u he isn't? Have u read that somewhere?

 

[STLDomer]

Juju Smith is half Somoan according to the USC 247 reporter.

Go tell him he's wrong

 

[Emcee77]

Juju Smith is half Somoan according to the USC 247 reporter.

Go tell him he's wrong

Excellent, thanks Slu. That makes sense. Looking at pictures, he looks vaguely Samoan in some.

Is it just me? Something about the skin tone and the form ... not sure what it is but I buy that he has Samoan blood.

 

[STLDomer]

Excellent, thanks Slu. That makes sense. Looking at pictures, he looks vaguely Samoan in some.

Is it just me? Something about the skin tone and the form ... not sure what it is but I buy that he has Samoan blood.

Yes IMO he does not have the skin tone of a full African American nor of a Somoan. My guess is he is 50/50 (knowing the fact he is 50% Somoan)