Film Don't Lie | Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa
Linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa has been a priority target for Notre Dame for a very long time and his importance to the class only increased after the staff had struck out on some other elite defensive prospects this cycle.
Marcus Freeman, Al Washington, and the rest of the staff put in a lot of effort to land him and that effort paid off with a commitment from one of the top linebacker prospects in the country.
KVA plays against tough competition in the Trinity League in Southern California and he excels there. He was the defensive player of the year and he’s a consistent playmaker. He has all of the tools to continue to be that good wearing blue and gold at the college level and he’s my favorite prospect in the 2024 recruiting cycle.
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 230
Projected Position: Linebacker
ISD Grade: 94 (4-star)
National Average Grade: 93.3 (4-star)
What he does best:
KVA plays with violence. He displays shock in his hands when defeating blocks and his strength (he recently did 20 reps of 225 pounds) is evident on the field. He can be a bully when using speed to power as a pass rusher (lined up right on the edge vs the tight end).
He’s a very good blitzer who has great timing. He times up the snap perfectly here for a pressure.
There are so many linebackers at the high school level who shine as athletes when unblocked. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy at the college level where they are going to have to take on interior linemen and get off blocks.
KVA does a great job working through the trash vs the inside run game and he doesn’t have to be protected as Mike linebacker. He’s head up on the center here and is able to strike, fight across the face of the center, and make the tackle.
He’s as good of a pass rusher as he is playing the run. He shows a natural feel for counters like when he rocks the guard back and then pulls off a push-pull before he finishes off the play with great hustle.
This is why some project him to play as an edge in college and it’s not far-fetched to see him as a Vyper. This little jab step step that freezes the tackle and then dipping his shoulder to turn the corner before arriving at the quarterback.
His anticipation in coverage helped him snag a pick-six here. This is more than just seeing the quarterback staring this down. This is preparation that sets this up and it ends up being a big time play.
In baseball, the term five-tool player gets used to describe a player who pretty much checks all of the boxes. KVA is a five-tool prospect at linebacker.
What he needs to improve:
He’s a very skilled player who is advanced with his technique and overall football intelligence so there isn’t a long list of things that I believe he needs to improve on.
The big thing is that he doesn’t have elite speed and he’ll have to excel with recognition and anticipation at the next level in order to be a factor as a perimeter defender.
What’s his ceiling?
Viliamu-Asa has the potential to be one of the best linebackers in college football. His physicality, technical skills, and football intelligence have helped him be incredibly productive at one of the top high school programs in the country.
When watching St. John Bosco, he stands out as the best defender on the field on a team filled with FBS prospects.
He could be an instant impact player for the Irish and should be a multi-year starter at inside linebacker. Havoc plays are like gold for a defense and he has the ability to be a major havoc producer and leader on a championship-level defense.
Who he could be:
Former Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o
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