Iapani Laloulu

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Draft Buzz says that the best pro comparison for Oregon center, Iapani Laloulu, is Steve Avila. I agree with this, I think the 2 players are very similar. At this point, you could stop reading the rest of this thread, because now you know everything you need to know about this prospect. If you like Avila, draft Laloulu and the Rams could play the 2 of them next to each other on the OL. If you don't like Avila, you probably won't like Laloulu.

I'll admit it, I was wrong about Avila. When the Rams drafted him in 2023, I thought it was just a "blah" decision. At the time the pick was made, I said that if we went guard at that slot, I would have taken Matthew Bergeron of the Atlanta Falcons instead of Avila. I thought that Avila would only be an average player and didn't have a high ceiling. Avila has been pretty good, more effective than I imagined. So, give him his flowers, I'll eat crow on that one.

In that draft, many Rams fans were salivating over John Michael Schmitz from Minnesota, the consensus top center according to the draft experts. Fans were upset about missing out on Creed Humphrey in the 2021 draft. Many experts ranked huge O'Cyrus Torrence as the best guard prospect. The Rams drafted Avila at 36. JMS didn't get picked until 57 and Torrence went at 59. In theory, the Rams could have passed on Avila, traded down and still gone IOL lower in the 2nd round.

JMS has mostly struggled in the NFL. Per PFF, JMS was the worst graded C in the entire league his rookie season. He only slightly improved his 2nd and 3rd seasons. Meanwhile, Torrence has also graded out poorly the last 2 seasons. In comparison, lightly regarded and relatively cheap Coleman Shelton has outperformed both of those players according to advanced metrics even though he's a former UDFA who started out his career as a PS guy. Despite having an abysmal pass blocking grade from PFF last season, Shelton still finished with a very respectable overall grade, boosted by his run blocking contributions.

Over the years, Snead and McVay have treated C as one of the least important positions on the roster. The Rams act like it isn't worth spending big money or investing high picks to fill the spot. There's probably merit to that philosophy. I don't think that Avila counts, because he always seemed better suited for G. We flirted with the idea of moving him to C at one point but abandoned that experiment pretty quickly. I'd be very surprised if the Rams used a Day 2 pick on Laloulu, it doesn't fit Snead's MO. Moreover, after watching Laloulu, I don't know if he'll stay at C. I think he might end up playing G at the NFL level.

Laloulu is scheme limited. Consequently, some NFL teams either will have him very low or maybe even take him completely off their boards. He's a poor fit for zone schemes. Critics might say he's a one-trick pony. His single best trait is he's a stout pass blocker due to his size and body mass. In a variety of other departments, however, he can struggle and get exposed. His draft grade will be all over the place, because if you need your C to move and have great blocking range, he doesn't fit your job requirements. There's no point in drafting him if he's going to be set up to fail. As an organization, you have to be fully committed to a particular type of offensive scheme for him to be a good fit. If you fire your HC and OC and hire a new staff, suddenly he might end up being a "bad" player you have to bench, trade or cut.

Fortunately for the Rams, Laloulu is a good fit for what McVay has been doing with a 3TE power running approach. This is why I decided to profile him.

With the usual caveat that we have an entire season of college football before next year's draft, the 2027 draft looks to me to have the potential to be one of the weakest center draft classes we've seen in the last 20 years. Some of the higher ranked IOL are really guards and not true C prospects, other centers that looked pretty good to me are undersized for the NFL. I can imagine a scenario where there isn't a single true C drafted prior to the end of Day 2. If you're the type of Rams fan that beats the "let's draft a great center" drum each year during draft season, this is the wrong year to do it. The pool looks thin for candidates.

Laloulu suffered injuries during the 2025 season. Towards the end of the season, his tape was so bad that he looked like an UDFA. If you watch games where he's healthy, he isn't as bad. Keep that in mind if you try to study this prospect yourself.

I have a "type" when it comes to C prospects, a personal bias. For the same reason that I wasn't crazy about Steve Avila, Laloulu doesn't fit that type. So, I'm not going to gush over him the way I have over other prospects. Take my notes with a grain of salt. I like centers who are more athletic like Quinn Meinertz. Laloulu is a different type of player, so I won't like him as much. It doesn't mean that he won't be good in the pros.

Laloulu might be a one-trick pony, but that single trick is extremely valuable in the NFL. GMs and coaches maybe won't care about his weaknesses, because the NFL is a passing league and his shortcomings as a run blocker can be at least somewhat covered up by the scheme. Is it enough to warrant the Rams drafting Laloulu in the 2nd round, the same round where they took Avila? I'll leave that up to you to decide.

 

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Part 1: Background

Name, Age: Iapanni Laloulu, true senior, Oregon. Turns 23 in June of 2027. Nicknamed "Poncho".

Size, speed: DraftBuzz 6'2'' tall, 329 pounds, 5.30 second projected 40. Brian Bosarge 6'2'', 325, est 5.24 to 5.35 second 40, est 4.68 to 4.8 shuttle, 26.5 to 28.5'' vertical jump. For some context, the projected 40 time would have been one of the slowest 40 times among the OL who ran at the 2026 Combine. The projected shuttle and vert jump numbers also would have been below average.

4-star recruit from Honolulu, HI. Left foot injury in 2025. In one of the 2025 games I watched, he appeared to suffer an upper body injury to either his arm, hand or maybe his shoulder but remained in the game and kept playing.

2023: 1 start, 0 sacks, 2 pressures
2024: 14 starts (2 at RG, 12 at C), 10 pressures, 0 sacks, 80.6 PFF pass blocking, 71.1 grade run blocking. Bosarge lists it as 8 pressures and 1 sack.
2025: 15 starts at C, 11 pressures, 1 sack, 82.3 PFF pass blocking. Bosarge has it as 5 pressures and 0 sacks.

PFF 50th overall: Play dipped as 2025 season progressed. [PFF only has 2 centers in the top 75 on their board. Laloulu is the top C, and the 2nd guy is a late round to UDFA prospect on other boards.]
Sam Teets 4th round tier, 113 [Teets has some prospects with a G/C designation. Kade Pieper at 70 is the only player with a C label ranked higher than Laloulu on his board.]
NFLMDD Sim 54 overall
DraftBuzz 4th round, 103 overall, best C prospect: (+) By a wide margin the best pass protecting center in the class, the heaviest center in the class, anchors vs bull rush, quick to set up after snap. Plug and play starter for gap and power scheme with Pro Bowl potential. (-) Run blocking, short, below average movement for reach blocks, lateral range for zone blocking. Not a fit for wide zone schemes.
Drafttek 59 overall, top C
PFSN sim 38 overall, 2nd best C behind Pieper.
Ian Cummings mock draft 2nd round, 39 overall to Titans. Could be tried at G.
Brian Bosarge: (+) Elite core power, low COG, vocal communicator who quickly processes complex blitzes and directs his guards, pass blocking footwork, zero sacks in 2025, short area quickness and heavy hands to 2nd level blocks on zone runs. (-) Short, below-average length.

 

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Part 2: Strengths

For teams that want to protect their QB by building a "great wall" of large human beings, Laloulu is the ideal center. Excellent lower body mass. Can drop anchor, becoming very difficult to move. Wide frame, making it more difficult to run around him. As I said earlier, the scouting report for an NFL team might end right there. Laloulu has the right body to play in the pros. A GM might watch one play on him and be sold. Who cares about any other details? That's for the OL coach and OC to worry about. It isn't easy to find big centers. Many centers in college are simply too small to play in the NFL. Laloulu's size could become the single most important factor pushing up the draft board for certain teams.

In the games I watched, there wasn't a single instance of him getting bull rushed back into the QB's lap on a normal pass set. Very strong anchor. If Laloulu could establish his base, get his feet set at proper width with balanced stance, he remained firmly planted and the opponent couldn't move him.

Similar to his pass blocking, has a stout lower half on run blocks once he gets properly engaged. The defender could try to disengage and go around him, try to pull him down or defeat his block with technique but there was no way they were going to shove him backwards into the RB with just brute power.

He's not fast and was even slower once he got hurt. Still, when healthy I'd characterize his short area explosiveness to be "good enough" for 2nd level blocks. He'll never be elite at it but if the coach only needs him to make those blocks some of the time, he can do it. Below average athlete, but I still think he's fast enough to be a potential NFL starter. He's not "flunk level" slow. Same thing with his agility, below average, but enough to at least occasionally make the block when working in space. When we get to his weaknesses, I'm going to beat him up for his lack of athleticism, but this only drops his grade, it doesn't make him an UDFA or a "backup ceiling" prospect. I wouldn't ask him to make long pulls, but he was average on a short pull.

No personality red flags from his interviews, religious, humble, team-oriented. Showed toughness and leadership by playing through injury in 2025.

Maintains proper depth to help the guards. Within his cone of vision shows proper awareness and judgment as helper. For example, one play he starts off helping the RG. The other DT tries to rip under the outside shoulder of the LG. This results in there being a large gap between the RG and the LG. When LG stops the initial pass rush move, the DT is going to try to counter by spinning back to the inside. C determines that RG is in good shape, seems to anticipate what is developing with the LG and even though C has to move some distance, takes a nice diagonal step to arrive at the perfect time to help stop the spin move and prevent pass rush pressure from reaching the QB. Well done.

In his entire career with Oregon, has allowed almost no sacks. Various sources track it slightly differently but they both come up with only 1 sack allowed over the last 2 seasons.

 

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Part 3: Weaknesses

A key factor in his pass blocking stats is Oregon's scheme. Quick hitting plays and RPOs, the OL doesn't have to block for very long. Almost all shotgun snaps.

Average level of aggression and physicality on the field. He's not soft but he's not a big, strong tough guy who dominates the opponent. Zero reason for even undersized LBs to fear him at the 2nd level.

You don't move him, but he doesn't move you. Not a people mover. Doesn't generate much movement on combo blocks or double teams. Poor short yardage run blocker. Not a drive blocker. Gets pushed to the ground or thrown to the ground on short yardage runs.

Mediocre combo blocker. Had 2 losses on one play, because he didn't get LB and since he didn't move the DT, the DT beat the G after the C left, then stuffed the RB. Never gets in more than one hit on the LB to sustain, they can routinely shed him before the whistle.

Terrible at outside zone run blocking. Flowing laterally along the LOS, Laloulu really struggles with his balance and his body control to stay attached to the DL with his shoulders more perpendicular to the LOS. The DT can more easily disengage. Occasionally, C slips off the block and ends up with his back facing the defender.

Has slow hands and feet, not twitchy. Below average recovery ability. Not fast to reload hands. Repeatedly beaten by LB push pull moves at 2nd level. Strong DTs can get lower than him on run blocks, bench press him off of them, then shed. Doesn't fix his feet and hand placements after initial contact to improve his leverage and sustain the block, making him vulnerable to counters.

Vulnerable to quick losses. NT crossed his face right off the snap with hand swipe, clean to the QB with instant penetration and pressure. Club swim move destroyed him almost instantly after the snap. Stressed by quick slants by DL off snap. Instantly ripped to ground by push pull, ends up on his hands and knees as the DT tackles the QB.

Struggles vs twists. Limited lateral quickness. Unable to quickly redirect his body or move his feet, typically resulting in him having to retreat and give ground to try to recover back to the 2nd defender. Even when he does manage to get to the looper, he's vulnerable to any type of counter back in the other direction.

Limited range as help blocker. Even if he sees trouble brewing, sometimes can't get there in time to do anything about it.

Runs slow. If multiple OL all run out together on a screen, the other OL pass him, they all run faster, he's the slow guy lagging behind.

Poor agility. If it is a middle screen and C is running forward to the 2nd level, he struggles to adjust if the LB moves laterally. C can only move more or less in a straight line, he has limited ability to shift his body to go sideways once his momentum is going forward.

Skip pull loser, not a skip pull monster. He can't accelerate into the block to arrive with momentum, giving the LB the opportunity to beat his block with either power or quickness. Lacks body control to redirect and connect with moving targets. On one pull block, Laloulu ends up blocking nobody as 2 different defenders fly by him, not quick enough to pick off either one and RB gets stuffed.

Limited blocking range for screens. Too slow to get to his landmark on tunnel screens where he has to make diagonal run from LOS.

If the LB is pursuing sideline-to-sideline and C is supposed to climb forward to cut off his path, Laloulu can be too slow to get there, resulting in the LB running in a direct line to the POA to help stop the RB, 100% unblocked. Same concept if he has to cut off a S coming downhill in run support from a deep position, not fast enough to get there.

Poor inside of a phone booth. Doesn't have good flexibility or twitch. In tight quarters where he has to turn his body, take small steps or block 2 defenders in quick succession who are very close to each other, he's liable to completely miss the 2nd block. Like a big truck stuck in an alley, it is like he can't maneuver inside such a confined space. Even if he sees a run blitz coming, not always athletic enough to cut it off.

Sometimes, coaches like to move the pocket by having the QB and OL all slide laterally together, messing up pass rush plans. This is a bad idea with Laloulu, because it results in him having to block in space with his feet moving, more like a screen pass, instead of his feet being firmly set like a normal pass play. Small seams can open up between each OL as they drift apart and if one of the defenders tries to shoot that gap, Laloulu isn't quick enough to close the door.

Not useful off-script blocking in space. If the QB extends the play and runs around or if a WR or RB breaks tackles near the LOS and reverses field, Laloulu can't do much to help them. When things get chaotic and defenders are flying all over the place, he doesn't have short area athleticism to adjust and get to the necessary spots to block them, he mostly becomes a spectator. I don't think you even want him to try too hard, because if the defender suddenly changes direction, Laloulu might draw a holding penalty by grabbing him. If I were the coach, I'd tell him to just try to get close but stand in one place and don't use your hands, just let a creative RB use you as a screen by running the defender into you, like a basketball and roll play. In other words, don't try to run all the way to the defender to make the block, let the RB try to run the defender into you.

When he gets in trouble and realizes he's beaten, he has a habit of grabbing the defender, including outside the frame, which can result in potential holding penalties. My fear is this could happen even more frequently in the pros, because NFL players will beat him more often than college defenders. Also had a dead ball personal foul penalty.

Misses some snaps, always high. Some of his high snaps nearly go over head of QB or mess up the timing of the play.

I think he could struggle against smaller DTs who are super quick and fast and against very big DTs who are very strong and powerful. That's not good, because most NFL starters fall into 1 of those 2 categories. Maybe he'll handle all the mediocre starters and backup type guys but will he flop every time he has to face a Pro Bowl type opponent?

I'll cut him some slack for his poor play late in 2025, because he was hurt. Still, injuries often happen in the NFL as well. Sometimes you have to play through injury and the NFL season is very long. Oregon played 15 games last season, not even a full NFL regular season. When healthy, Laloulu has barely enough athleticism to be an NFL starter. You can't assume he'll be 100% healthy for every NFL game of his career. That's not realistic. Laloulu doesn't have a "margin for error" when it comes to injury, because he's already a below average athlete. The injured version of him in 2025 was bad, it wasn't acceptable for the NFL level. It was like taking all of his weaknesses and multiplying them by 2. I think that he has a low floor, but not in the same sense that we normally discuss with prospects. It has nothing to do with his talent or technique or football IQ and character. It is purely because of athletic limitations and the risk that if he got hurt and his movement ability was even further limited, he quickly would no longer be able to meet the minimum NFL requirements.

 

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Draft Grade and Pro Comp

3rd round grade. Luke Fortner (top of 3rd round 2022, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kentucky)

Iapani Laloulu has the potential to someday be one of the top pass blocking IOL in the NFL. Unless something unexpected happens this season like a major injury, his prototypical size and frame should cement a spot for him in the early rounds of next year's draft. True, zone scheme teams might not want this player, but all NFL teams want to protect their very expensive franchise QBs. There is a constant need to try to find linemen who can pass block.

Buyer beware, however, because Laloulu isn't a slam dunk star or even a sure-fire starter. Due to athletic limitations, he's better in situations where he doesn't have to move very far. Don't just automatically draft him because his name appears as the top center prospect on draft boards. Look at what has happened so far in JMS's career playing for the Giants.

Teams don't always get much from 3rd round IOL picks, including the Rams with Logan Bruss. Late in the 3rd round of Avila's draft, the Washington Commodes drafted Ricky Stromberg from Arkansas. In the middle of his rookie season, Stromberg suffered a knee injury. He's never appeared in a regular season game after that point. At the bottom of the 2nd round in 2023, 26 slots after the Rams got Avila, the Houston Texans drafted Juice Scruggs from Penn State. They tried him at both G and C. He struggled and as only a backup player in 2025 graded out as one of the worst IOL in the league. He was traded to the Detroit Lions as part of the David Montgomery deal.

With the very first pick in the 3rd round of the 2022 draft, the Jags took Fortner and immediately made him their starting center. He responded with 2 seasons of terrible PFF grades and he was benched by the start of his 3rd season. Prior to the start of year 4, the Jags traded him to the Saints where he was a decent backup in 2025. Fortner signed with the Carolina Panthers for 2026 and is competing to try to win the starting C position with them. Fortner had mediocre Combine testing numbers, but he was considered to be a good pass blocker coming out of college. When he was a starter for the Jags, he had some of the worst run blocking grades in the league.

If the Rams end up picking near the bottom of the 2nd round in 2027 and use that pick into a C, on paper it might look like a substantial investment. On the other hand, consider what has happened to many other NFL teams who have targeted that position in recent drafts. Many of those teams would have gotten better results just signing a random journeyman vet to a cheap one-year contract.

If we replaced Coleman Shelton with Iapani Laloulu, would the results be better? Maybe they would just be flipped opposite, where Laloulu proves to be a better pass blocker than Shelton but a much worse run blocker. What that outcome be worth a 2nd round pick? Shelton is an UFA in 2027, so the Rams might not have any choice. If there ends up being a vacant hole at C, they'll have to figure out a way to plug it one way or another. Iapani Laloulu is definitely a name worth considering but I'm not writing it down in pen yet.

 

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The next profile I'm going to do is a big one. Since I've intentionally tried to focus on players who still might be available in the bottom half of the 2nd round, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that I haven't given any of those players 1st round draft grades. That changes now.

I remember watching some video on him before and wasn't super impressed, but I didn't know at the time that he was injured. You have to watch more games to see the impact the injury had on his performance level later in the season. Reading his draft profiles, I'm not sure the experts have accounted for that factor.

Who am I giving a 1st round grade, making him my top nomination so far as a Rams draft target in 2027? I'll give you a hint, he plays WR. Any guesses?