Saints Draft Seventh Round TE Moliki Matavao
The New Orleans Saints selected UCLA Moliki Matavao in Round 7 of the 2025 NFL Draft. Matavao couldn’t beat out TE Terrance Ferguson for the starting job at Oregon, so he transferred to UCLA ahead of the 2023 season. He caught just 14 balls in his first year with the Bruins but broke out with a 41-506-2 line last year. The catches and yards led the team – although Matavao’s 16.0% Dominator Rating ranked just 14th among the 21 TEs the Combine. His 1.65 yards per route tied for eighth. The 6’6, 260-pounder split his time fairly evenly as a slot, in-line, and out wide player. He impressed with the ball in his hands, notching 7.8 yards after catch per reception. But Matavao’s modest athleticism (6.59 Relative Athletic Score) and single year of production make him a long shot for real fantasy value.
