:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72222503/1470836237.0.jpg "Tuli Tuipulotu scouting report: 2023 NFL Draft profile, prospect ranking")
USC defensive end Tuli Tuipulotu is considered one of the top defensive prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft and is projected to be selected in one of the first few rounds.
A Hawthorne, California native, Tuipulotu comes from a strong NFL family with his brother, Marlon, currently playing for the Philadelphia Eagles and his cousin, Talanoa Hufanga, currently playing for the San Francisco 49ers. Playing at USC for three seasons, he had a breakout campaign in 2022, racking up 46 tackles, 22 TFLs, and 13.5 sacks. Those numbers earned him Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and unanimous All-American honors, as well as being named the 2022 Polynesian Football Player of the Year.
Tulu Tuipulotu: Scouting Report
At 6'3″, 266 pounds, Tuipulotu has good size and is effective at shedding blockers. What powers that ability is his twitchiness according to NFL analyst Lance Zierlein, also praising his high individual production as a junior at USC. However, he's not lengthy and needs to develop a counter move when his first move is neutralized.
Mock Draft landing spots
Tuipulotu is projected to go somewhere around No. 54 to the Los Angeles Chargers according to the NFL Mock Draft Database. As we get closer to the draft, most mock experts have him being taken off the board in the second round, with some having him fall to round three.