Ex-Desert Pines lineman Poutasi awaits NFL Draft

The NFL Draft projections are all over the place for former Utah offensive tackle Jeremiah Poutasi, and he isn’t sure what to make of them.

This time of year, gauging where players will go in the draft tends to be a crapshoot anyway with team officials either being too careful about what they say or purposely misleading their competitors.

Poutasi, who went to Desert Pines High School, is expected to be the top Southern Nevada player taken when the draft begins Thursday, and he is generally considered a midround draft prospect but could go higher.

“I don’t know where I’ll go,” he said. “I’m pretty nervous right now.”

He is in Las Vegas, but will surround himself with a small group of people during the draft rather than throw a big party.

It was in this city where Poutasi ended his college career. The Utes played in the Las Vegas Bowl in December at Sam Boyd Stadium, and the day couldn’t have gone much better for Utah, which defeated Colorado State 45-10.

“That was the way I wanted to end my college career, to be able to play in front of my family and friends,” Poutasi said. “It was a good experience because I have family that couldn’t see me compete up there in Utah.”

Poutasi just as easily could be preparing for his senior season at Utah, but decided to leave school a year early. At 20 years old, he probably will be the youngest lineman drafted.

His decision to declare early was a controversial one because Poutasi could have worked his way considerably up the draft boards with a strong final season. But Poutasi has received plenty of attention, visiting and working out for a handful of teams.

“It’s a decision (to leave early) that I talked over with my fiancee and my family,” Poutasi said. “Once I made the decision, I wasn’t going to regret it. I was going to take whatever option comes my way.”

Poutasi (6 feet 5 inches, 335 pounds) started at left tackle the past two seasons at Utah and at right tackle as a freshman, but probably will be a guard in the NFL.

He has worked out with former UNR offensive lineman Joel Bitonio, who made the transition last season from tackle to guard. Bitonio was a second-round draft pick by Cleveland and became one of the Browns’ top linemen by the end of the season.

San Francisco 49ers tackle Joe Staley, an eight-year veteran, also has worked with Poutasi.

“They were telling me what to expect,” Poutasi said. “Joel was a rookie last year, so he was telling me his experience. (Staley) has been in the game a long time. He was telling me what to do and what I need to be ready for.

“(Bitonio) told me the transfer from tackle to guard was much easier from a mental aspect. To be a guard, you have to be more physical than at tackle. At tackle, you’re an outside guy. There’s a lot of space to run around. At guard, there isn’t as much space, and you have to be more aggressive. You don’t have to think as much.”

NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said on a conference call Thursday that he thought Poutasi would play guard, though he likes the idea of putting him at right tackle. Mayock also acknowledged he’s higher on Poutasi than other draft experts.

“I think most of the league feels like he should have stayed in school,” said Mayock, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. “He’s raw as can be, a little bit heavy footed.

“He probably will go in the fourth or fifth round, but I kind of have a late third-round grade on him because I believe in him down the road. He’s 20 years old, and his best football is in front of him, but he has to go to a team that’s a gap scheme, run mauler-type team.”

Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65.