(@PauloAsani)

Des Moines Hoover’s Paulo Asani Paulo Asani 5'10" | 180 lbs | DB/LB Des Moines Roosevelt | 2028 State IA built on a breakout freshman campaign with another solid season for the Huskies. Paulo ended his season with 42.5 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, and a sack while playing a hybrid LB/S role on defense. Paulo plays a lot of his snaps at LB, but with his size and athleticism, I could see coaches moving him into a safety role where he uses his range in coverage while providing an enforcer against the run at the third level. He plays with a red-hot motor, evident in his explosiveness when shooting gaps and when going to make a tackle on the ball carrier. Great pursuit— you’ll see him several yards downfield tracking down a ball carrier after coming from the backside of the play. Solid prospect who will only continue to rise as he develops!

Coming back after an outlandishly productive freshman season for Des Moines Hoover, the No. 2 linebacker in the class of 2028, Paulo Asani Paulo Asani 5'10" | 180 lbs | DB/LB Des Moines Roosevelt | 2028 State IA is back, looking to improve off an excellent start to his high school career.

A youngster with excellent instincts and the willingness to mix it up on the field with older, bigger players, Asani may be listed as a linebacker for now, but given his 5’10” and 160-pound frame, he may project as a nickel or safety in the future. Either way, he’ll need to add some weight (that will come with age), but Asani’s natural nose for the ball makes him a notable prospect already.

Asani wasted no time in producing at the varsity level. The freshman piled up 85.0 tackles (59 solo, 3.0 TFL) in 2024. We can see how Asani got it done when watching his ninth-grade highlight video. The Huskies move him around the formation, which speaks to his versatility at linebacker. Asani might fit better at safety in some schemes. Hoover lines him up in the deep middle of the field where a safety would be in many of them. He diagnoses plays quickly and runs well sideline to sideline. Physicality is a big part of Asani’s game with him welcoming contact and showing a willingness to put his head on the ball.

Asani wasted no time in producing at the varsity level. The freshman piled up 85.0 tackles (59 solo, 3.0 TFL) in 2024. We can see how Asani got it done when watching his ninth-grade highlight video. The Huskies move him around the formation, which speaks to his versatility at linebacker. Asani might fit better at safety in some schemes. Hoover lines him up in the deep middle of the field where a safety would be in many of them. He diagnoses plays quickly and runs well sideline to sideline. Physicality is a big part of Asani’s game with him welcoming contact and showing a willingness to put his head on the ball.