Tuli Tuipulotu NFL Draft Overview
Position: Edge Defender
Height: 6′-3″
Weight: 266 pounds
School: USC
2023 NFL Draft: Tuli Tuipulotu NFL Draft Profile
After spending the past three seasons with USC, Tuli Tuipulotu has decided to skip the remainder of his college eligibility and declare for the 2023 NFL Draft. You can’t blame him for this decision, as the edge defender spent the 2022 season dominating some of the best offensive linemen in the NCAA. Appearing in 14 games, the California native finished the season with 46 tackles, 22 tackles-for-loss, and a staggering 13.5 sacks.
Tuli Tuipulotu originally joined the college football world prior to the start of the 2020 season. Seeing the field as a true freshman, Tuipulotu finished his inaugural campaign with 22 tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss, and two sacks. He improved his game in 2021 when he recorded 48 tackles, 7.5 tackles-for-loss, and 5.5 sacks in 12 games.
Strengths
- Slippery rusher that uses agility to get past opposing rushers;
- Already possesses multiple pass rush moves – more than a one-trick pony;
- Impressive bend on his rushes;
- Positional versatility to play inside in sub-packages;
- Linear progression, improving every single year of his collegiate career;
Weaknesses
- Very small at 266 pounds – will need to add weight in the NFL;
- Lacks strength to bull rush opposing tackles;
- 15th percentile arm length makes it hard for him to engage opposing blockers;
- Misses way too many tackles;
- Needs to prove he can handle run assignments in the NFL;
- No recovery if blocker stops his initial pass rush move.
NFL Comparison: Less muscular Jonathan Allen
Teams With Need at Position: Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks
Projection: Round 2
Bottom Line on Tuli Tuipulotu
Tuli Tuipulotu is one of the most intriguing NFL draft prospects in this entire class. When looking purely at his stats, it’s easy to see why NFL teams would fall in love with him. After all, you can’t rack up 13.5 sacks against USC’s schedule without being pretty good at football. Turning on the tape shows exactly how Tuipulotu was able to accomplish this impressive feat. The defensive lineman possesses insane lateral agility with the quickness needed to blow past tackles and get after the quarterback. Of course, he’s more than just a speed guy, as he already has multiple refined pass-rushing moves that should translate well to the NFL. On top of that, opposing offenses can never know exactly where he’ll line up on any given play, as he also possesses the versatility to line up as an interior lineman.
With all that being said, there is a reason Tuipulotu isn’t among the elite prospects in this class despite his impressive production. At 266 pounds, the USC product is well undersized and doesn’t have the strength required to impose his will on opposing linemen. If a blocker can match his lateral quickness, Tuipulotu is effectively out of the play. Additionally, his lack of size and play strength was already an issue in the run game, as he missed far too many tackles. This problem will only be worse in the NFL, where everyone is faster and stronger.
Ultimately, Tuli Tuipulotu will probably begin his career as a situational pass rusher, and he should be able to make the most of that limited role. He has the potential to be a true three-down player, but he’ll never reach it unless he hits the weight room and adds some more strength to his frame. If an NFL program is able to bring out the best in him, he has double-digit sack potential.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
