Quick 6: Get to know NFL Draft Prospect Sione Vaki

Sione Vaki can play all over the field and has talent on both sides of the ball. He played a majority of his football career at safety and running back but adds value in all three phases of the game. Vaki had anything but an conventional path through college.

First, on the football side, he’s played in 26 games, registering 83 tackles while totaling 998 defensive snaps against 76 offensive snaps. He was awarded First-team All-Pac 12 in 2023 and was an All-American in 2023.

After graduating from high school in 2020, he served on a two-year church mission before continuing his football career at Utah. He had two productive seasons at Utah and entered the NFL Draft after his sophomore campaign.

The Patriots wanted to bring Vaki in for a visit but, source said, after his terrific Pro Day the Patriots felt like they saw enough. Meanwhile Vaki has been popular taking visits to the 49ers and Lions.

Vaki recently spoke with The Patriots Beat about the pre-draft process, teams that have been showing interest in him and his journey through college.

I know you went to High School with Steelers running back Najee Harris. Can you tell me a little about that and what you took away from him?

The biggest takeaway from Najee was probably his dedication, perseverance, and resilience. There are many stories, even leading up to the NFL with coaches having to kick him out of the weight room. That’s such a crazy thing because, in today’s society, it’s so easy to take a break, but from Najee’s standpoint, he felt he was always going to stay ahead of the game. So the biggest thing I took away from him was always keeping your head down and never being satisfied.

You’ve probably been asked this 100 times, but you play all over the field. Where do you feel most comfortable?

I will say that I feel more comfortable on the defensive side of the ball. There are still things to learn for me, but I feel like I’m the complete package regarding versatility, and you can put me anywhere on the field. I honestly do feel like the offense is more natural. It’s more natural to me when I have that ball in my hand. There are those other little details like reading defenses, understanding if they’re in the zone or if they’re man, and how you get on your route.

Have more teams been saying they see you as an offensive or defensive player?

I would say the majority of them are saying both. Like, there’s no doubt that I have the ability to play on both sides of the ball.

What’s it like being the youngest of 11 kids, and is that where some of your competitiveness comes from?

Yeah. I guess that’s where my competitiveness comes from, being the youngest of 11 and always having to fight for the scraps. If my mom told my older brother to go to the garbage and take out the garbage, I would always be the one to take out the garbage. I’ve always loved how tight-knit we are as siblings. Our parents did a great job of raising us very closely and things like that. So I could rely a lot on them, especially when it came to losing my mom and my sisters, and them being able to have them as like a mother figure.

What are the differences in studying your tape when you’re on the offensive versus the defensive side of the ball?

When I’m on defense, I look for their alignment, right? Like where the playmakers are when they’re off the ball, whether he’s a yard off the ball or two yards off the ball. Then, when it comes to looking at the running back, whether he’s offset or where he’s lined up with the quarterback, When I’m looking on the offensive side I’m looking for the biggest guy and how can I avoid him because he’s probably going to hit me the hardest. 

If a team drafts you, what are they getting out of you, and what do you hope to prove once you are selected?

You can’t pay for someone who could play all positions and all three phases of the game. You know what I’m saying? If you go back and watch the film, no one else can tell you to pull up all three phases of the film and be dominant in each phase. So what they’re getting is just a swiss army knife. They’re getting someone who’s dedicated.