BillBoard

Koa Misi, OLB, Utah

6-3, 246

Draft projection: Second or third round.

Here's yet another undersized pass-rushing defensive end who projects as an outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense in the NFL. (See previous entries on Jerry Hughes, George Selvie, Ricky Sapp and Sergio Kindle.) Misi played at 265 but was down to 246 for his pro day at Utah on March 8. He helped himself with a good showing at the Senior Bowl and some good numbers at the NFL Scouting Combine. (He was first among defensive ends in the vertical jump at 38 inches and fifth in the 20-yard shuttle, but that's not surprising given he was competing against heavier DEs.) He's not stout enough in the lower body to hold up at the point of attack at DE. He was recruited by some D-1 schools out of Santa Rosa, Calif., but went under the radar when he took a year off because he wasn't sure he wanted to play college football. He went to junior college for a year then played at Utah for three years. His sack totals were 2.5, 3 and 4.5 as a senior, not exactly eye-popping against mid-level competition in the Mountain West Conference. So scouts will have to make a projection on him. Will he be much more productive at OLB in the 3-4? Should the Bills be interested in the unlikely event he lingers to the early third round?

Misi's full name is Nawa’akoa Lisiate Foti Analeseanoa Misi.

---Mark Gaughan