FRISCO, Texas — Having now doubled down on the offensive line in their first three picks of the 2024 NFL draft, the ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵÏÂÔØÈë¿Ú saw fit to make sure the linebacker dilemma was potentially resolved when they went on the clock with their second pick in the third round.
With the 87th-overall pick, they selected Marist Liufau out of Notre Dame, a long, rangy linebacker who can cover a lot of space quickly.
Round 3, No. 87: Marist Liufau, LB, Notre Dame
Three things to know:
- 2023 Butkus Award Semifinalist
- 2023 Notre Dame Defensive Player of the Game vs. Navy
- Cousin of Rams' WR Puka Nacua
Also an Official 30 visit in Dallas, there was a lot of interest in him ahead of the draft, and he'll also get to learn under the tutelage of both Zimmer and newly-signed former All-Pro linebacker Eric Kendricks.
Standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing in at 234 lbs., Liufau is Hawaii-born and has a football pedigree in his bloodline, helping him to carve out a name of his own on the national stage for the Fighting Irish.
One of the faster linebackers in the draft, he ran a respectable 4.64 second 40-yard dash (70th-percentile) and his wingspan works alongside his arm length to make it exceptionally challenging for opposing quarterbacks to take advantage of him — to the point where his most notable NFL comp is Darius Leonard, with collegiate comparisons to Edgerrin Cooper (Texas A&M).
Liufau is yet another Senior Bowl alum that caught the eye of the Cowboys, and his instincts are ready-made for what the linebacker position demands. His first step is decisive and impressive, and there isn't a lot of guesswork in his game.
On the reps wherein he does have a misstep, it's because he hesitated before accelerating toward the play but, once he does, he's a missile.
He plays to the whistle and takes attempted blocks as disrespect, violently shedding them en route to what is usually a sound tackle. Not many ball carriers can evade him in open space, or when he gets his hands on them.
It's a physicality, IQ and size/stature, reminiscent of Sean Lee.
He'll need to learn how to drop gears at times in the NFL, or risk overpursuits and compromising angles that lead to bigger plays, but there's a reason defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer put his stamp on this selection — Zimmer being highly demanding of linebackers who can be game changers.
It's because while Liufau has some room to develop into a high-functioning professional, which might happen sooner than later, once he finds his footing in the NFL, he could be a menace at a position the Cowboys are starving to resolve.
