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2027 NFL Draft Summer Report: Liona Lefau, Linebacker, Colorado
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- 2027 NFL Draft Summer Report: Liona Lefau, Linebacker, Colorado
2027 NFL Draft Summer Report: Liona Lefau, Linebacker, Colorado
Summer is here, and it is everyone's favorite time of the year, scouting time. Every year, we do Summer Scouting to preview college football for Bucs fans and give them names to follow and watch in the fall as needs pop up for Tampa Bay.
Are we going to write about quarterbacks? Offensive tackles? Edge rushers? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Bucs, the Bears , or the Steelers. We write these to keep Bucs fans as informed as possible.
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So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report on Liona Lefau, Linebacker, Colorado as we prepare you for the Fall.
Background Information
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Senior
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Linebacker
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Colorado Buffaloes
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Kahuku, Hawaii native
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Kahuku High School alumnus
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Transfer from Texas
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6-foot-1, 230 pounds
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Former four-star recruit
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No. 7 ranked linebacker in the transfer portal according to 247Sports (January 2026)
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Appeared in 42 career games with 22 starts at Texas
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Two-time Hawaii state champion in high school
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2022 Hawaii Defensive Player of the Year
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2022 Marcus Mariota Award winner
Notable Career Stats Heading Into 2026
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139 career tackles
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68 solo tackles
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8 tackles for loss
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3 sacks
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6 pass breakups
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1 interception
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1 forced fumble
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1 fumble recovery
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42 career games played
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22 career starts
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69 tackles during the 2025 season
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Returned a fumble 52 yards for a touchdown against Arkansas in 2025
Notable Numbers From PFF Heading Into 2026
| Season |
Snaps |
Overall |
Run Defense |
Tackling |
Pass Rush |
Coverage |
Pressures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 |
462 |
61.7 |
76.4 |
65.4 |
62.0 |
46.9 |
5 |
| 2024 |
506 |
64.6 |
64.9 |
75.3 |
66.7 |
60.8 |
5 |
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12.5% missed tackle rate in 2025
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11.0% missed tackle rate in 2024
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Allowed a 77.8% catch rate in coverage during 2025
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Allowed 14.2 yards per reception in coverage during 2025
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Allowed a 137.3 NFL passer rating when targeted in 2025
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Generated a 14.7% pressure rate on pass-rush opportunities in 2025
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Improved his run-defense grade from 64.9 in 2024 to 76.4 in 2025
Strengths
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Extensive college experience
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Productive SEC linebacker
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Effective strike-and-shed technique
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Uses swim moves well to disengage from blockers
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Consistently works free from second-level blockers
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Good hand usage at the point of attack
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Sound pre-snap linebacker stance
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Disciplined run fits
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Reliable pursuit effort
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Generally puts himself in position to make plays
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Experienced communicator before the snap
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Comfortable working through traffic
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Solid run-defense foundation
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Consistently around the football
Weaknesses
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Coverage production remains a major concern
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Clunky change-of-direction ability
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Can appear indecisive after diagnosing plays
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Average reaction speed to RPO concepts
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Pops upright after the snap
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Loses leverage when rising out of his stance
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Limited finishing ability at the point of attack
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Rotational usage throughout portions of his Texas career
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Lacks a standout NFL trait
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Does not consistently create splash plays
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Projects more comfortably against the run than in coverage
Player Summary
Liona Lefau enters the 2026 season at an interesting crossroads in his football career. After spending three seasons at Texas and appearing in 42 games, he transferred to Colorado in search of a larger opportunity and a chance to elevate his NFL Draft stock. The move comes after playing alongside future NFL talent in Austin, including Anthony Hill Jr., where Lefau often shared responsibilities within a deep linebacker room.
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The film reveals a linebacker whose best traits show up against the run. Lefau consistently displayed good hand usage when working through second-level blockers, utilizing swim moves and disengagement techniques to keep himself clean. He generally plays with sound run-fit discipline and routinely places himself in a position to contribute to stops near the football.
His evaluation becomes more complicated in coverage. While Lefau possesses adequate lateral movement skills, his transitions can appear clunky when changing direction. He also showed a tendency to rise out of his stance after the snap, which can impact both his leverage and ability to redirect quickly. Combined with modest coverage metrics, those traits raise questions about his long-term three-down value at the next level.
Colorado presents an opportunity for Lefau to change the narrative. Increased responsibility and a larger role could allow him to showcase leadership qualities and improve his overall production. Entering the season, however, he projects as a run-first linebacker whose NFL future likely depends on proving he can become more decisive, more impactful, and more reliable in coverage.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: 2027 NFL Draft Summer Scouting Report on Colorado's Liona Lefau
