Hello: Devin Asiasi
[Isaiah Hole/247]
While most of the focus yesterday rightly centered on Rashan Gary, Michigan pulled off a Signing Day coup when Concord (CA) De La Salle TE Devin Asiasi chose the Wolverines in the afternoon. Asiasi had planned to attend the same school as four-star DT teammate Boss Tagaloa, who committed to UCLA in the same ceremony, and there was considerable pull from his family to stay close to home; in the end, Asiasi's desire to go to Michigan overcame those factors.
Asiasi is the third tight end in Michigan's 2016 class, joining Sean McKeon and Nick Eubanks. Even though McKeon is already on campus, Asiasi is the most likely of the group to make an immediate contribution; he's the highest-ranked and the biggest, most well-rounded prospect of the three.
GURU RATINGS
Scout | Rivals | ESPN | 247 | 247 Comp |
4*, #4 TE, #67 Ovr |
4*, #2 TE, #46 Ovr |
4*, 85, #3 TE-Y, #44 Ovr |
4*, 92, #8 TE, #218 Ovr |
4*, #3 TE, #74 Ovr |
Asiasi is a top-75 overall prospect to everyone except 247, which still has him as a top-ten tight end but ranks him considerably lower than the other three sites. My assumption is 247 is concerned about whether Asiasi can stick at tight end; if he gets much bigger, he may outgrow the position, and while he's also got excellent potential at defensive end they may not like the positional uncertainty.
About that size: Asiasi is listed anywhere from 6'3" to 6'5" and 253-272 pounds, and he looked to be on the higher end of those listings in the Army All-American Game. He's got the build to see the field right away as an in-line tight end.
[Hit THE JUMP for the informative portion.]
SCOUTING
Asiasi has spent much of the last couple years convincing scouts he can be a tight end at the college level instead of flipping over to defense. Last March, 247's Barton Simmons named him the best TE at the Pylon 7-on-7 National Championship, and even then he suggested Asiasi best projected to the other side of the ball:
We think Asiasi is likely a defensive lineman on the next level but the way he ran around and made plays at tight end, there’s no doubt he’s capable. The huge, physically imposing prospect was just too strong for defenders and too nimble. He’s a definite stock up guy.
Asiasi subsequently moved into 247's top 100; I haven't found why they dropped him down the rankings since. Asiasi stood out again at The Opening, and while 247 started coming around to his potential as a TE, the DE possibility still loomed:
Some feel Devin Asiasi could have a brighter future at defensive end, but on Thursday he once again showed that Isaac Nauta and Kaden Smith are not the only elite tight ends at The Opening. The 6-4, 271-pound prospect provided a big target in the red zone for Fly Rush, with a couple touchdown catches where he caught the ball away from his body while using his size to keep defenders from being able to make a play on the ball. If perceived frontrunner USC snags this U.S. Army All-American, they might want to consider keeping him on offense early and then deciding whether to transition him to defense down the road.
Scout moved Asiasi up the rankings a couple times over the course of his senior year. Greg Biggins wrote in their midseason update that "he'll be an impact player no matter what side of the ball he's on," and he also handled Asiasi's free evaluation on Scout:
Evaluation
Asiasi is a huge tight end target who could honestly have even more upside as a defensive end down the road. He's pushing 270 pounds and will have no problem stepping in to a college offense and being physically able to handle those battles in the trenches. Where he surprises people is with his ability to run and catch. He's a very coordinated athlete for his size and can get down the field. He also has very soft hands and will be that reliable 3rd down pass catcher every quarterback loves to have. He's a tremendous blocker and comes from a system at De La Salle where you learn to block early on or you won't play. As long as he can keep his weight down, Asiasi should be a tremendous tight end at the next level with Sunday potential.Strengths
- Ability To Beat Jams
- Frame
- Hands and Concentration
Areas to Improve
- Elusiveness with Catch
ESPN praised his hands, strength, and ability to run through—albeit not around—defenders after the catch; here's their detailed breakdown of his blocking and their final conclusion, which brings up an unusual and intriguing player comparison:
Comes from a run oriented scheme with a lot experience as a blocker and can be very strong in this area, with size, strength, toughness and experience. Can for more consistency, but overall demonstrates good ability to come off with pad level, deliver a pop, roll hips and push defenders off the ball. Physical player that can play with some nastiness.
Asiasi comes from a successful HS program and should bring with him an understanding of what it takes to win and be successful. He is a big well-rounded TE, but is also a good D-Lineman and you could argue that he is even a better player on that side of the ball and like former Minnesota player Ra'Shede Hageman, Asiasi could enter college as a TE and leave as a real handful as a DL. While defense could be intriguing, certainly has tools to be a very good college TE that can excel as a blocker, help move the chains as a receiver and even offer a little versatility to a unit. Regardless of how utilized, darn good football player that can be an asset to a Power-5 roster.
Hageman came to Minnesota as a 6'6", 250-pound three-star tight end; he didn't stick on offense long, becoming a 318-pound All-American defensive tackle and second-round NFL draft pick.
Hagemen never quite showed the promise Asiasi has displayed on offense, however, and Asiasi may have sealed his future as a big-bodied tight end at the Army game. After a few practice sessions, Scout's crew of analysts said he improved his stock:
Four-star tight end Devin Asiasi comes from a well-known run-heavy offense at De La Salle in Concord, Calif., so we wanted to see how he looked getting more receiving reps. The answer? Great. He's dropped only one pass in three practice sessions and has shown why he's a national top 100 prospect. His size and playing experience suggest that he'll be just fine as a blocker at the college level. Alabama, USC, UCLA, and Washington are the top contenders for Asiasi.
(I left that last sentence in because MICHIGAN OUT OF NOWHERE.)
Rivals concurred after the three practice sessions:
The massive prospect is one of the biggest players on the roster yet he moves remarkably well down field and through his routes. Asiasi has been a favorite for the West quarterbacks throughout the week and that continued Thursday, especially in the red zone. He had a couple nice grabs near the goal line where he could use his size to beat defenders.
Asiasi overcame an uncharacteristic drop in the Army game itself to score a touchdown; Scout's Brandon Huffman named him one of the West team's top performers of the week:
Concord (Calif.) De La Salle tight end Devin Asiasi is the West's No. 1 tight end and cemented that during the week. While he played in a run-heavy offense for the Spartans, during Army Bowl week he was utilized as a receiver instead of having to focus on just blocking. He had a touchdown in the Army Bowl and just missed another one. His size and playing experience suggest that he'll be just fine as a blocker at the college level but it is watching him catch and run, especially at around 265-270, that makes you think he can be an impact tight end in college.
Rivals bumped him from the #4 TE to the #2 TE in the country in the aftermath.
I'll give the last word to The Wolverine's Tim Sullivan, who evaluated Asiasi after his commitment:
He is a naturally strong player with good inherent strength. Both of those aspects will only improve when he gets into a college weight training program. That should allow him to win physical battles against defensive ends in the run game, and also to get off the line of scrimmage going out on pass routes.
It's the passing game where Asiasi is the most gifted. He has good athleticism, and a solid understanding of how to run routes (and the quickness to make that knowledge count). Most importantly, though, he has outstanding hands, and will be very consistent when it comes to reeling in catchable balls.
Tim concluded Asiasi "may be too good to keep off the field" as a true freshman; I'm very inclined to agree.
OFFERS
Asiasi held offers from Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, Cal, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Miami (YTM), Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Oregon, Oregon State, San Jose State, Tennessee, UCLA, USC, Vanderbilt, Washington, and Washington State. He had his pick of west coast schools and some great options elsewhere, as well.
HIGH SCHOOL
Concord De La Salle is a national powerhouse that's produced some very familiar names. Michigan fans will remember WR Amani Toomer and QB Matt Gutierrez. There's also Maurice Jones-Drew, Aaron Taylor, TJ Ward, DJ Williams, and several other NFL alums.
STATS
According to MaxPreps, Asiasi caught 17 passes for 311 yards and five TDs in DLS's run-heavy offense as a senior; he added 49 tackles, 11 TFLs, four sacks, and five passes defensed on the defensive line.
FAKE 40 TIME
Asiasi has a combine-verified 40 time of 5.08, which gets zero FAKEs. While he moves well for a big guy, he's not going to be confused for a field-stretching burner. As Brian has described him, think more like (senior) AJ Williams with a power mushroom.
VIDEO
Senior highlights:
Junior highlights and single-game reels can be found on his Hudl page.
PREDICTION BASED ON FLIMSY EVIDENCE
With the departure of AJ Williams, there's an opportunity for someone to step up as the second in-line tight end, and even when including the returning players Asiasi looks best-suited for that role. That role should fall either be Asiasi or TJ Wheatley; not only does Asiasi have more potential as a tight end, there's a possibility Wheatley ends up as an offensive tackle.
I expect to see Asiasi on the field right away; he's an advanced blocker for a high school prospect and he's a threat up the seam as a pass-catcher. We'll see if he outgrows the position down the line, but early in his career he should stick on offense, and I'm guessing Jim Harbaugh would prefer to keep it that way as long as Asiasi can stay nimble enough to be a factor in the passing game. If he does outgrow the position, he's got plenty of potential as an SDE or five-tech, as well.
UPSHOT FOR THE REST OF THE CLASS
It contains an Asiasi.
February 4th, 2016 at 5:14 PM ^
He is really agile for a guy that big - the highlights show that he can go around people. And he makes some very nice catches in his highlights. That one-handed grab really stands out.
February 5th, 2016 at 6:36 PM ^
Trickeration be a coming.
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February 5th, 2016 at 7:08 PM ^
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February 4th, 2016 at 3:52 PM ^
Oy-oy-oy
February 4th, 2016 at 3:58 PM ^
Asiasi catches a ball for a first down...
Half the student section scream, "ASI-ASI-ASI"
and the other half responds "OY-OY-OY"!
February 4th, 2016 at 3:53 PM ^
With Asiasi and Eubanks down the road. Sounds like a mismatch nightmare for defense. Also super psyched about the prospect of a TE who blocks well for years to come. BIG get.
February 4th, 2016 at 4:37 PM ^
February 4th, 2016 at 4:47 PM ^
And let's not forget about Ol' Skillet Hands.
February 5th, 2016 at 4:22 AM ^
I think Eubanks will be flexed out as a TE playing WR like Funchess was. McKeon as the natural/balanced TE ala Jake Butt. Asiasi as the big, blocking TE who can catch like AJ Williams.
Oh it's going DOOOOWN.
February 5th, 2016 at 6:28 AM ^
February 5th, 2016 at 8:49 AM ^
I don't think Eubanks is that kind of athlete. I think he'll be put out in the slot some, but he won't be a true wideout, in my opinion.
February 4th, 2016 at 3:53 PM ^
Ace or anyone in the know: under the theory that all weight gain or loss is good, is it possible he could shed a few pounds and become a bit faster and shiftier in the process? I'm thinking about how Derrick Green lost a bunch of weight when he got here. Bad example, maybe, but you get the point...
February 4th, 2016 at 4:06 PM ^
a good picture of him to see his build, I'm guessing he'll probably put on some weight. Muscle weighs more than fat so I'm guessing once he gets to UM and starts working out, his percent of body fat will probably go down but his weight might go up. At the same time the increase in weight wouldn't slow him down.
February 4th, 2016 at 4:23 PM ^
Magnus at TTB seems to think he's carrying quite a bit of bad weight and that his optimal weight is around 250 once he gets in a college S&C program.
EDIT: beaten to the punch by the man himself.
February 4th, 2016 at 11:22 PM ^
February 4th, 2016 at 4:17 PM ^
Yes. He was thinner as a junior, and I liked his athleticism a little more. He does look to be about 270 now (as in the USAAA Bowl), and I think he should be around 250 or so.
February 4th, 2016 at 4:36 PM ^
Can the coaching staff send him a diet plan before he gets on campus? I heard an interview with Sean McKeon (early enrollee) and he said they have three diets for players (lose, gain or maintain) and he's already put on some good weight.
February 4th, 2016 at 5:03 PM ^
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February 4th, 2016 at 5:19 PM ^
It will be interesting to see how much is bad weight as you noted he might have. Not too many guys end up lighter 3-4 years into a college career of football than when they enter a program. i.e. most 20 year olds are going to be at least 10-15 lbs more than they are at 17.
Did you like his tape as a DE? vs say Murphy.
February 4th, 2016 at 5:35 PM ^
February 4th, 2016 at 5:42 PM ^
Yes good point - probably the wrong guy to compare too. I was thinking more of an eventual Wormley Henry SDE type if he gets up to the 290s. Not the 265 lb Frank Clark WDE type.
February 4th, 2016 at 6:10 PM ^
February 4th, 2016 at 7:51 PM ^
Some guys end up lighter. Names that come to mind are Bryan Mone, Will Campbell, and Derrick Green. It just depends on the guy. Even so, I doubt Harbaugh's going to want a pass-catching TE who's 270-275 lbs.
February 4th, 2016 at 7:55 PM ^
I like his athleticism as a defensive end, but he just seems to be more polished as a tight end. I don't really see the same passion for defense as for offense. Even so, if I were ranking him as a DE vs. Connor Murphy as a DE, I would still pick Asiasi.
February 4th, 2016 at 3:54 PM ^
I really like the potential for this kid. He stood out to me in the all-american game. Great get for Harbaugh and company.
February 4th, 2016 at 3:55 PM ^
he's a like a TE version of Jerome Bettis. Dudes that big should not be able to put moves on DBs, but there it is on film. Damn. Freak athlete.
February 4th, 2016 at 4:55 PM ^
February 4th, 2016 at 5:22 PM ^
Yes exact samne thought when reading his 40 time. Gary is 20 lbs more and runs a supposed 4.74. That doesn't compute as logical. It's Devin Funchess speed... as a 290 lb DE. I assume that is the type of stuff you see out of a Julius Peppers.
February 4th, 2016 at 7:53 PM ^
February 4th, 2016 at 3:55 PM ^
I desperately want Wheatley to convert to OT, then split out wide on a 6 OL play while wearing one of those stick on jersey numbers.
February 4th, 2016 at 3:56 PM ^
It may have been his junior year highlights, but one of my favorite things was when DLS put him as a wild cat QB and ran read option with him a couple times. Not the nimblest or fastest guy out there, but he moves well for being a giant TE. Really looking forward to seeing what Harbaugh can do with him.
February 4th, 2016 at 4:15 PM ^
He had some pretty sick moves for a 6'4" 270# 18 year-old.
There is one play when he was lined up in slot, beat the safety on the route, but the outside WR lost the block on the corner, and Asiasi juked the corner on the way to the endzone.
And some of the California guys can help with this, but I thought De La Salle played really tough competition as well?
February 4th, 2016 at 4:59 PM ^
February 4th, 2016 at 5:02 PM ^
February 4th, 2016 at 10:52 PM ^
February 4th, 2016 at 3:57 PM ^
Im a bit mystified by the 24/7 rating. I feel that his positional versatility is more of an asset than a detriment. This guy could be an impact player on either side of the ball; so lets call that positional uncertainty and drop his rating.
February 4th, 2016 at 4:03 PM ^
like the guys who are too slow to be safeties but too small to be linebackers, or too slow to be a linebacker but too small to be a defensive end. Their fear is probably the Asiasi gets too big for a TE but isn't athletic enough to be an impact DE.
February 4th, 2016 at 5:20 PM ^
If he isn't athletic enough to play DE then no one is.
February 4th, 2016 at 8:08 PM ^
That isn't true
February 5th, 2016 at 8:30 AM ^
Since then, he's looked even better as a TE. Downgrading him because you like his potential even more on defense makes no sense, not to me at least. He's not a tweener.
Knocking him down 100+ spots because you think he might get too big in a college S&C program makes no sense either. That's not how S&C works. Their job is to shape players for the positions they are going to play. Whatever their reasons, he's got a coach with a record of using players on both sides of the ball. That potential on defense is an asset here.
February 5th, 2016 at 10:36 AM ^
February 4th, 2016 at 3:58 PM ^
Also, I'm guessing this is not a sentence that will make Tim Sullivan's personal HOF:
He is a naturally strong player with good inherent strength.
February 4th, 2016 at 4:18 PM ^
It's the greatest sentence ever written about football. Just ask Tim, and he'll tell you himself.
February 4th, 2016 at 4:43 PM ^
it's a great sentence, with a very good set of words that is complete in itself, containing a subject and predicate, conveying a statement, question, exclamation, or command, and consisting of a main clause and sometimes one or more subordinate clauses.
February 4th, 2016 at 4:50 PM ^
saltyyyyyyyyyyyy
February 4th, 2016 at 4:49 PM ^
You'll have to submit that to the Department of Redundancy Department
February 4th, 2016 at 5:38 PM ^
February 4th, 2016 at 11:12 PM ^
+1 for SFW Tony Rocky Horror reference.
February 4th, 2016 at 3:58 PM ^
He really reminds me a lot of Gronkowski in the way he moves for his size. Definitley will make an impact next season.
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