I think you guys are getting too hung up on trying to classify him. The reason we drafted him is because he can play so many spots, I guarantee we’re not gonna limit him. I personally think he won’t be appreciably better at one than the other, but he’ll be good at both.
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https://www.thehuddlereport.com/blog/?p=3972
Sione Vaki DB/RB Utah
by Drew Boylhart • February 28, 2024
STRENGTHS
Sione is a Defensive Back with the skills, athletic talent, and high football IQ to play more than one position on your defense or offense at a very high level. He shows the quick feet to change direction and he has an excellent burst to the play. He is an excellent tackler and shows leadership skills through his mature play on the field. Sione plays with a controlled aggressiveness that is seen only in impact players. He has the athletic talent and foot speed to run down players from side line to side line when playing off the line of scrimmage or on the line of scrimmage. Sione has the eye/hand coordination to make interceptions on defense as well as catching the ball down the field as a running back on screen plays and wheel routes or a potential slot receiver. He is a tough running back with the ability to gain those tough yards when most will be stopped. Sione’s high football IQ and athletic talent allows him to be able to play more than one position for his college team. Nevertheless, I believe that his impact position at the next level will be at the running back position. He is an every down running back who can run between the tackles or outside the tackles, catch the ball down the field like a receiver, and is an outstanding blocker in the backfield. Then again…he’s a dam good safety too.
CONCERNS
As far as being a safety, it just depends what a team is looking for in a safety. He has to show at the combine that he can be used in single coverage situations or most teams will think he is a situational player and a special team player only because he lacks the length most teams are looking for nowadays. I believe that if he gets on the field as a safety that he will never come off. As a running back, most teams will struggle believing he is as good as his film shows him to be. He’s the real key, the value of both positions will affect his draft status more than his lack of any skill set or experience playing either position.
BOTTOM LINE: 2.18
As far as I’m concerned you draft Sione and worry about what he position he will play later. He is an excellent football player on both sides of the ball so overthinking is truly the worse thing you could do when selecting him. I rate him high because I see his potential at the running back position and as a WLB in a 4/2/5 defense along with his ability to play the safety position. That being said, there are a lot of coaches that will not know how to use him on either side of the ball. Nevertheless, do not let Chiefs Andy Reed draft this kid or for that matter, Dolphins Mike McDaniel, they will find a way to use his talents and teams that pass on him will be very sorry they did. As a running back I feel his impact will be equal to being picked in the 1st round. As a safety it all depends on the system teams are using, as far as the round he would most likely be selected in. Nevertheless, once he gets on the field he will impact no matter what side of the ball you decide to use him on. Look for him on Rob’s board my guess, in the later rounds because of the value of both positions he is projected to play in.
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Lions social media account posted about it just being the 2025 3rd.
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I think a lot of people on this board do love Reynolds, so when I typed that I did a mental duck and cover
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I dunno, the Lion’s are pretty complex on both sides of the ball. That’s asking a lot to expect someone to legit play both ways with these playbooks
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Which I suspect is why they loved him. Because he can do it.
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Remember when the Patriots took a super quick and athletic QB…to play WR … and the guy became a Pro Bowl WR?
This dude could end up being a slot receiver for us 
I am just gonna trust Brad has a plan on this one
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Well, as far as Swiss Army knives go, this doesn’t get anymore Swiss. I mean this is Matterhorn Swiss.
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Reynolds has nothing to worry about.
Vaki is a safety, and kick-coverage-guy pick all the way.
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I mean after the Netflix special the dude will always be in my prayers. Not even kidding. I have literally added him to a rosary before. His story are the ones that make you appreciate what these lower rosters guys go through.
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Did with a college playbook vs can with an NFL playbook are two completely different things. I hope you’re right but I don’t see it
Oh I agree, and I suspect that’s why we met with him so often (there are rumors of 3-4 times, 2 at least confirmed).
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I bet he’s the best safety/running back in the entire draft.
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I’m on board with Stiggers and Coker too. Both really interesting players.
You might be right, on the other side of the coin. Yeah the playbook becomes significantly more complex, but not having to do school anymore you have significantly more time to do football things now that it’s the full time gig
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And for the record a lot of RB stuff is more about instincts, which he seemed to have naturally when he stepped in. Sure blocking, etc… but that’s not rocket science. And he may understand blitzes better than most RBs already because of his safety background.
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This sure looks like someone who could have value in the new return rules.
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https://twitter.com/davebirkett/status/1784287936164270305?t=wnTN8eHD2Qnl3CWIKCpwEQ&s=19
Yep, he’s RB and ST here.
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I will be very, very surprised if he doesn’t play DB as well, but certainly it seems he’ll be heavier on the offensive side of the ball
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