ScoopDuck Eval: Lipe Moala
Lipe Moala
OG, 6’7 315
Santa Ana, CA
Adrian Klemm starting to collect players and build out the 2023 Oregon OL class. Lipe Moala is a big raw athlete who is late to the scene due to a knee injury that killed his Junior Season before it could begin. Moala brings a phenomenal frame that has been well-managed and won’t require tear-down before building. At 6’7″, Moala has a nice even-cut frame that despite great length will not disadvantage him playing on the interior as a guard. While 315 pounds might sound heavy, his frame is so big that he carries the weight without slop and retains plenty of room for growth.
Moala’s best traits are his bend and body control. Despite being naturally big and longer than typical for a guard, he can maintain a good wide base and good leverage. Fitting at the second level isn’t a problem for Moala. He even shows good initial quickness when asked to pull. Despite good size, Moala needs to improve his play strength. Good hip roll and his body language don’t result in the power I expected. However, I am sure at least some of that is easily explained away by not being able to really lift and train for almost a full year. This is typical for young OL prospects and something that can be widely applied to most prospects.
As a pass protector, Moala has good range and mirror ability for an interior player. His balance is impressive. He doesn’t get out over his toes or tunnel visioning onto his guy. This allows him to redirect and play off stunts and blitzes. This is a mixture of his natural instinctive toolkit and his athleticism. After some good time in the weight room, Moala strikes me as a prospect with substantial upside considering his natural size and matching athleticism. He comes out of Mater Dei HS with a more advanced technical skillset than normal as noted by his balance and patience in pass pro and his consistent wide base. This will help the technical transition to the College game although I would still consider him raw.
Really happy with this pickup as Moala brings all of the physical prerequisites I value most on the interior OL, fitting what we have often discussed: Lanning and the new recruiting/scouting staff prioritize physical tools above all else trusting their developmental process.
Go Ducks!
-QB11
