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2. EDGE BOYE MAFE, MINNESOTA
Class: Redshirt Senior247Sports Recruiting: 2017 3-star (Overall: 1,493rd, WDE: 78th)
Career Snaps: 606
Mafe has yet to stay healthy over the course of a season, but we have seen enough from him to know he’s a monster pass-rusher. He landed on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List last year for his absurd 40.5-inch vertical jump and sub-4.6-second 40-yard dash time at 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds. His first step gives offensive linemen nightmares.
He has rushed the passer 324 times in his college career — which is about a normal season's worth for a starter — and recorded an 89.6 pass-rushing grade on those reps. Taking screens, RPOs and play-action passes out of the equation to feature only Mafe's true pass rushes, his career pass-rushing grade jumps to 91.1 and his win rate sits at 21.7%. Among Power Five edge defenders with 200 such pass rushes since 2018, that pass-rush grade ranks sixth.
Mafe played almost exclusively as a stand-up outside linebacker in 2020, but he has proven in the past that he is more than capable of being a force inside at 3-technique.
With a full year as a starter, Mafe could very well become a household name and a top-five player at the position in 2021.
How good will PJ Fleck and Gophers be in 2021?
