Coming off of an All-Big Ten season and a national championship, Ohio State Buckeyes edge rusher JT Tuimoloau is riding high heading into the 2025 NFL Draft.
As a fixture along the defensive line of one of the best defenses in college football, Tuimoloau projects as one of the top players at his position in this year’s draft class.
JT Tuimoloau’s Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 6’4″
- Weight: 265 pounds
- Position: Edge Rusher
- School:Â Ohio State
- Current Year:Â Senior
Tuimoloau’s Scouting Report
Coming out of high school, Tuimoloau was a highly-touted five-star recruit at Eastside Catholic School in Sammamish, Wash. He was also a star basketball player, having earned a basketball scholarship from Oregon. In the end, he committed to Ohio State, sticking to playing football solely.
As a true freshman in 2021, Tuimoloau factored into Ohio State’s defensive line rotation. He ended the year with 17 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, and five tackles for a loss, playing in all 13 games.
Tuimoloau broke into the Buckeyes’ starting lineup in 2022, and he naturally saw his production increase as a result. He finished the year with 28 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 11 tackles for a loss, and two interceptions.
His best game came against Penn State, where he became the first FBS player since 2000 with two sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a touchdown in a single game. He ended the year with a first-team All-Big Ten nod.
Heading into the 2023 season, Tuimoloau was able to build up some NFL momentum, thanks in large part to his Penn State performance. He improved his sack production to five sacks as a junior, adding 38 tackles and seven tackles for a loss in the process. For the second year in a row, he ended up on the first-team All-Big Ten list.
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Though widely considered a Day 2 prospect for the 2024 NFL Draft, Tuimoloau opted to return to Ohio State for his final year of eligibility in hopes of winning a national championship.
Tuimoloau’s production took a huge leap in 2024, as he finished the year with 12.5 sacks, 22 tackles for a loss and 61 total tackles in 16 games. Not only did he continue his streak of being a first-team All-Big Ten member, but Ohio State ended up winning the College Football Playoff National Championship.
Strengths
- Well-built edge rusher with prototypical length and hand size.
- Has a dense frame with impressive overall strength proportioned evenly throughout.
- Physical edge rusher who packs a mean punch at the point of attack.
- Has a strong anchor with the ability to set the edge reliably in the run game.
- Quick off the line of scrimmage, as his short-area athleticism is quite good.
- Lands his strikes accurately, maintaining proper hand placement and timing.
- High-motored defender who fights hard to generate penetration into opposing backfields.
- Has an effective long arm, and his bull rush allows him to convert speed to power.
- When he drops back into coverage on a rare occasion, he demonstrates solid spatial awareness in space.
- Grip strength is impressive, allowing him to lock out blockers from the inside of his chest and hold up blocks in the run game.
- Experienced three-year starter at a blue-blood program with a national championship and five-star recruit pedigree.
Weaknesses
- Doesn’t have a super deep arsenal as a pass-rusher, as the finesse he showcases in his hands isn’t necessarily up to par.
- Flexibility turning the corner is relatively average, making it tougher for him to take precise angles to the quarterback on outside speed rushes.
- Ability to work a counter move and have a second-nature move in his arsenal at the point of attack needs improvement.
- Long speed is pretty average for the edge rusher position.
- Pad level isn’t bad, but there are some times he struggles with generating knee bend and staying low.
- Hands need to be quicker when he’s stacking and shedding blocks near the line of scrimmage.
Current Draft Projection and Summary
With his size and power, Tuimoloau feels like a high-floor defensive end at the NFL level.
He’s a powerful edge defender who packs a nice punch at the point of attack, and he does a good job of using his anchor strength to both set the edge in the run game and push the pocket as a pass-rusher. He’s a high-motored player who gives it his all on every down.
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Tuimoloau has the length and frame needed to take blocks head-on at the NFL level. Though he projects best as a base 4-3 defensive end, he could project as a 3-4 outside linebacker if need be, too. He should be able to step into a key role for a team’s defensive line rotation right out of the gate.
There are some limitations with Tuimoloau, as his flexibility is pretty average for his position, and his long speed isn’t anything to write home about. His best bet to reach his potential is to improve his hand usage and work on his speed and counter abilities.
With a tremendous collegiate resume and impressive tape, Tuimoloau should be an early-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He might not have the athletic upside to warrant a first-round selection, but he shouldn’t fall out of Round 2 when it’s all said and done.
