Los Angeles Chargers select Tuli Tuipulotu in 2nd round of 2023 NFL Draft

Former USC defensive lineman Tuli Tuipulotu is ready to make a name for himself in the NFL following a massive 2022 season in Los Angeles. He’ll get his start in the league with the Los Angeles Chargers, who selected him 54th overall in the 2nd round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Tuipulotu claimed the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year as well as earning first team All-American honors from the Associated Press this past season. He was a force to be reckoned with, leading the country with 13.5 sacks to go along with 46 tackles (22 for loss) and a pair of forced fumbles.

Tuipulotu was named first team All-Pac 12 in both 2021 and 2022 as well as a second team Freshman All-American in 2020 according to The Athletic. He finished his college career with 116 tackles (32 for loss), 21 sacks and four forced fumbles.

Although he played on the defensive end in college, Tuipulotu enters the NFL with a willingness to fit in wherever he is needed.

“I feel like I can play whatever position,” Tuipulotu said at the NFL Combine. “Putting on weight, going back inside. Slimming down, going back outside. I’ll play whatever. But I have a lot of experience on the edge. That’s the position I played the most during college.”

Tuipulotu played high school football for Lawndale (CA) High School, where he was a four-star prospect. He ranked as the No. 374 overall player and No. 40 defensive lineman in the 2020 class according to the On3 Industry Rating, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Tuli Tuipulotu

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein provided some insight on how Tuipulotu projects in the NFL in his recent scout of the edge rusher’s draft profile. The analyst compared the former Trojans star to current Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman George Karlaftis, highlighting what makes him such an elite pass rusher.

“Defender possessing the rare blend of size, strength and athleticism to line up as an interior or edge defender in both 4-3 and 3-4 fronts,” Zierlein wrote. “Tuipulotu plays with a go-go motor from the first snap to the last. His heavy-handed attack and ability to shed help compensate for a lack of length at the point of attack, while quick feet help him disrupt in gaps.

“He can play with a hand down or standing but needs to play with better discipline to eliminate voided fits. Tuipulotu is a power-based rusher with decent bend and flatten talent but he’s unlikely to win with his get-off alone. He should become a good starter.”