Paula fought through some injuries this year, but he is a physical defensive tackle who has good strength and a nastiness to his game. He has quick, violent hands and does an excellent job at advancing his position. He is a good run-stuffing defensive tackle who can bring interior pressure and overwhelm an Offensive Lineman. There’s traits that will play at the next level.

Paula is a physical player with good strength, shows good quickness, and has violent hands. He has good footwork, has a good motor, and plays through the whistle. He’s got the frame to work inside and be a key run stopper, and will bring pressure up the middle. and has a good bull rush.

Makaafi is one of my favorite defensive lineman in the class. He plays with such violence and hatred towards his opponent. Makaafi plays with great strength and physicality to his game. He also is light on his feet, moves well laterally and has quick, active hands. He’s a player that will dominate this year.

Makaafi went from unranked to 25th overall. He is an outstanding pass rusher who showcases tremendous physicality and suddenness. Makaafi moves well laterally and can be used as an interior rusher, and has the speed to be an edge rusher. He’s an exceptional talent, and his offseason work has paid dividends. He’s the #2 ranked interior defensive lineman.

At the 2025 Power House 5v5 event, Makaafi showed great power and technique at the event. He has tremendous strength and violent hands with a quick first step. Makaafi was shown to be an elite inside rusher with great leverage and a player who will command double teams on Friday nights. He blends speed and power and will be a versatile piece that can win on the outside and inside.

Makaafi has great size and strength to be a game-changing interior defensive tackle. He is an instinctive player and gets great leverage. Makaafi is a disrupter in every sense. He has a great bull rush and uses his size to get under the pads of his blocker. He has the strength to get into the backfield and blow up a play before it develops. Makaafi is light on his feet and will disengage his blocker to make a tackle on a runner away from his side of play. He does an excellent job blending power and speed and finds various ways to make an impact on the defensive line. Makaafi is an active defender that won’t be deterred by a single blocker. Because of this, he needs to be double-covered to ensure he doesn’t disrupt an opposing team’s game plan. Because he draws so much attention, he frees other players on the line to make a play. Overall, Makaafi is a player that should continue to grow into his frame and continue to be a playmaker and one of the bright young interior defensive linemen in the state.

Makaafi is an athletic prospect that shows ability to bend at the LOS. Plays with initial quickness to read and react. Strength at the POA to control and shed blocks to get to the ball carrier. Shows burst to get upfield and use of hands to make quick contact to get to the QB. Makaafi’s stock continues to rise as one of our top ranked prospects in the 2027 class.