Vikings signed Washington State OLB Hercules Mata’afa.
Mata’afa (6’2/254) turned pro as a redshirt junior after making 25 starts, tallying 47 career tackles for loss – second most in Wazzou history – and 22.5 sacks. Productive as both a pass rusher and run defender, Mata’afa was credited with 32 QB pressures and 30 defensive stops by PFF College in 2017. Mata’afa tested as a mere 20th-percentile athlete with 4.76 speed at the Combine, however, and has short arms (31 ½"). Mostly an interior player in college, Mata’afa NFL positional usage is vague, but he should offer value in a rotation on sheer disruptive ability.
