Scouting New York Jets UDFA nostril sort out Fatorma Mulbah

The New York Jets not too long ago signed former West Virginia nostril sort out Fatorma Mulbah as an undrafted free agent. At the moment we break Mulbah down intimately.

The 22-year previous Mulbah is listed at 6’4” and 306 kilos. He racked up 75 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks over the previous two seasons after transferring from Penn State.

Background

Mulbah got here to the US when he was 12 after his household received a visa lottery, enabling them to flee an ongoing Ebola outbreak of their dwelling nation of Liberia. He quickly took up soccer (along with basketball and wrestling) and was a three-star highschool recruit.

Initially, Mulbah went to Penn State however he didn’t get to play a lot. After redshirting the 2020 season, he had 4 tackles in six video games in 2021. Then in 2022, he performed in 13 video games, however principally simply on particular groups as he didn’t file any statistics.

Having opted to switch, Mulbah headed to West Virginia and got here off the bench for them as he recorded 25 tackles, three tackles for loss and a half sack in 13 video games. He earned his first profession begin within the staff’s bowl sport.

In 2024, he received a beginning position and finally began all 13 video games. He racked up 50 tackles, which was fifth within the nation for all defensive tackles and second amongst Energy 5 colleges. That was headlined by a 13-tackle efficiency in opposition to Cincinnati; an virtually unheard-of degree of manufacturing from a nostril sort out.

Along with the 50 tackles, Mulbah was additionally credited with 5 tackles for loss together with one sack.

Having not been invited to the NFL scouting mix or the Senior Bowl, Mulbah participated within the Hula Bowl as an alternative. He was not broadly anticipated to be chosen in April.

After Mulbah went undrafted, the Jets signed him to an undrafted free company cope with $100K assured.

Let’s transfer on to some extra in-depth evaluation of what Mulbah brings to the desk as a participant, based mostly on in depth analysis and movie research.

Measurables/Athleticism

Mulbah was simply 270 kilos popping out of highschool, however he was listed at 315 kilos by his senior yr. He weighed in at 309 at his professional day, the place his exercise numbers had been strong.

He ran a 5.07 within the 40-yard sprint and managed 28 bench press reps with strong agility numbers for his measurement and good explosiveness numbers.

Mulbah can even squat slightly below 600 kilos.

Utilization

Mulbah noticed motion on the inside in each 4 and three-man fronts throughout his profession. Penn State principally had four-man fronts however West Virginia performed lots of 3-4, so he had much more work on the nostril sort out place over the previous couple of years.

Motor

Though he can generally present indicators of fatigue late in video games, Mulbah battles laborious within the trenches and can work laborious in pursuit.

Till final yr, he had by no means performed greater than 25 snaps in a sport. Nevertheless, he confirmed he was able to dealing with a starter’s workload by enjoying 45 or extra snaps six occasions in 2024.

Go rush

Mulbah didn’t have a lot move rush productiveness in his school profession with simply 1.5 sacks and a low strain fee. Nevertheless, there could also be some untapped potential there as a result of he had 12 sacks in his senior yr at highschool.

This was the one full sack of his school profession and it was indicative of his normal type and position, as he labored upfield and sought to shed his blocker cleanly.

A number of the time, he was double-teamed and easily ended up occupying blockers. West Virginia did additionally run some stunts for him to go exterior and he did break by means of a double staff sometimes.

On this play he exhibits good change of path and explosiveness to burst into the backfield, although it’s unclear whether or not it was by design or a response.

Run protection

Mulbah needed to tackle legit double groups at the next than normal fee by advantage of lining up over the middle as usually as he did. Regardless of this he generated lots of statistical manufacturing in opposition to the run.

He combines good energy on the level of assault, method and self-discipline to make these contributions, which positioned him fifth within the nation for run stops in 2024.

Along with his skills within the trenches, Mulbah offers lots of effort and hustles to the ball in pursuit and when cleansing up.

Method

Mulbah performs with a powerful base and retains his pad degree low on the level of impression to attenuate how usually he’s pushed off his spot. He clearly has good higher physique energy, enabling him to penetrate with out having to shoot gaps.

On this play, the middle tries to seal Mulbah off, however he retains his palms and ft lively and his arms prolonged so he’s in a position to work throughout his face and get to the ball provider.

Particular groups

Mulbah hasn’t had any manufacturing on particular groups, though he has had expertise of speeding kicks and punts. He additionally spent one season as a blocker on the placekicking unit at Penn State.

Tackling

As already famous, Mulbah’s statistical productiveness was spectacular in school, along with his coaches praising the consistency of his effort to rally to the ball and his self-discipline to make sure he could be in the precise hole. He has an excellent knack for getting off his block on the proper second to have the ability to wrap up the ball provider.

Missed tackles weren’t a difficulty for him both, as he solely had three in his profession. This one did result in a landing although.

Protection

Mulbah by no means dropped into protection, batted down a move or was immediately focused throughout his school profession, though he was caught up on this trick play and unable to stop the landing.

He did hustle again to get in on the sort out on just a few quick passes.

Instincts/Intelligence

As famous, Mulbah’s coaches praised his hole self-discipline. Nevertheless, there have been occasions the place he would shoot into the backfield, enabling a blocker to make use of his momentum to take him out of the play. He additionally misinterpret just a few learn choice performs or overpassed the ball whereas battling within the trenches at occasions.

Mulbah got here away from school with two levels and was on the Educational all-Large 10 staff twice and the Educational all Large 12 staff as soon as. He was additionally on the Large 12 Commissioner’s honor roll and the Garrett Ford Educational Honor Roll.

He by no means jumped offside or into the impartial zone in his school profession.

Perspective/Demeanor

Mulbah is a personable character who’s a tough employee and was a two-time highschool captain. He has an unselfish team-first perspective and isn’t afraid to do the soiled work within the trenches.

His solely penalty of his complete school profession was for roughing the passer final season and this wasn’t a late or soiled hit, simply incidental contact to the pinnacle.

Accidents

Mulbah doesn’t appear to have been affected by accidents to date in his profession. He performed in 39 of 39 video games over the previous three seasons.

Scheme Match

Mulbah’s switch from Penn State to West Virginia was a good suggestion as a result of he was clearly a greater match as a pure nostril sort out than a 3-technique 4-3 defensive sort out.

We haven’t had our first take a look at Steve Wilks’ protection but, however it’s more likely to be lots of four-man fronts, though NFL groups usually tend to have unbalanced fronts that enable one of many inside lineman to line up over the middle, so there may nonetheless make sure alignments which are suited to him.

In lots of respects, a participant like Mulbah, who isn’t going to be a star, could possibly be a greater complement to a participant like Quinnen Williams than a highly-paid disruptor like Javon Kinlaw on early downs. Put somebody alongside Williams who will stick with his position and clear up after he creates havoc and also you is perhaps higher off than having two disruptive gamers making an attempt to make issues occur within the backfield and leaving gaps in behind them once they get in each other’s approach.

Mulbah was a teammate of present Jets left sort out Olu Fashanu at Penn State for 3 seasons.

Conclusions

The Jets added to their defensive sort out depth with three veterans on one-year minimal wage offers within the offseason, so if a participant like Mulbah can’t make the roster this yr, there may nonetheless be an excellent probability to stay round on the observe squad with the chance to indicate that he’s worthy of an opportunity to compete for a task subsequent season.

His excessive statistical manufacturing and talent to carry up in opposition to double staff blocks are spectacular, indirectly paying homage to Damon Harrison’s physique of labor when he made the roster as an undrafted free agent some 13 years in the past.

Mulbah isn’t as massive as Harrison, so doesn’t essentially must grow to be the identical form of area stuffing nostril sort out. Nevertheless, if he progresses effectively, he could possibly be an excellent choice on operating downs within the years forward.