Washington Redskins’ Lineman Kili Lefotu Found Unconscious

By Mark Hoerrner

It was 7 p.m. and time for practice, but Kili Lefotu was nowhere to be seen. Unusual for a kid who went late in the draft but was excited to have a shot at professional ball. After all, most of the draft pundits at NFL.com had pegged him as an inconsistent player with little to offer a team unless he found his groove.

The Washington Redskins, however, saw something in Lefotu and signed him up in late June. When they did so, they probably didn’t expect to find him unconscious in his room in the National Conference Center.

He’s got a great size for a guard. He stands 6’5" and weighs 315 pounds, though some have called him "fleshy."

Coach Joe Gibbs visited Lefotu in the hospital. He told the Associated Press that Lefotu appeared to be doing better, but would be kept overnight.

"He's responsive, he's talking, which wasn't the case when they first found him at the dorm," Gibbs told AP staffers. "The first set of tests, they were looking for something bleeding, and they didn't find anything. The first set of tests came back without anything that we should be alarmed about."

Gibbs also clarified that the Redskins medical team was not aware of any specific medical conditions from which Lefotu might suffer. He also said that Lefotu had shown up for afternoon meetings, but had not been heard from after that.

This does not bode well for the 22-year-old who played college ball for the Arizona Wildcats. This is the time that Lefotu is going to have to prove he can play with the big boys. He’s got the size and physical prowess that any professional team would want in a linebacker, and his history shows evidence of an intelligent defensive player.

As one scout said of him, "he looks bigger and stronger on film than his measured size. He has the natural strength to drive a defensive lineman down the line of scrimmage on down/side blocks when he blocks aggressively. He has the quickness to get off the ball, pull and can knock the defender off his feet on trap block. He can pull around the tackle and tight end and can seal block the linebacker inside on outside runs well. He has the quickness and athleticism to chip the defensive tackle and get through to block the linebacker quickly on the second level."

The problem for Lefotu lies in his consistency. Too many times, he gives up and doesn’t pull through with the measured defense. If he comes out of this medical issue, he’ll struggle in the NFL, assuming he makes it through preseason.