NFL Combine: Tuli Tuipulotu's Surprise Weigh In and Ferocious Punch
Tuli Tuipulotu is one of five former Trojans in Indianapolis for the 2023 NFL Combine this week. And while the productive edge defender didn’t participate in any official testing on Thursday, he still managed to post a number and a highlight that caught the attention of just about everyone in the building.
Tuipulotu checked in at 6-foot-3 and 266 pounds, with an arm length of 32.25 inches. Tuipulotu was listed at 290 pounds on the 2022 USC roster. ESPN NFL Draft Analyst Matt Miller called that number the “biggest weigh in surprise today.”
Interestingly, his NFL Combine measurements are the exact height and weight numbers he logged as a recruit in the 2020 class.
His listed weight of 290 pounds always seemed inflated and there’s no immediate sign this will impact Tuipulotu’s draft stock either way. But it will be an interesting number for him as a player who seemed to have some positional versatility as a defensive end or defensive tackle. While he’s certainly capable of bulking up and moving inside, hitting this weight during the draft prep process should help him put up solid testing numbers in the running events if he does them later this month at USC’s Pro Day.
He is seen right now as a likely Day 2 selection who has the ability to play several spots along the defensive line.
Tuipulotu on a Potential NFL Position
Tuipulotu spoke to the media on Wednesday at the Combine. He was asked about playing several different positions at USC and where he sees a fit at the next level.
“I feel like I can play whatever position,” Tuipulotu said. “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.”
He said a lot of the teams he’s spoken with during this process have talked about him playing multiple spots along the defensive line.
“Everything to me is power,” Tuipulotu said. “Power sets up everything. I always rely on power…Everything counters off that.”
Tuipulotu Stands Out During Position Drills
If anybody had any questions about the power Tuipulotu brings to the field, the Combine support staffer holding the bag on this drill can likely provide some insights.
As always, Tuipulotu brought every bit of energy he has to everything he did on the field Thursday.
Tuipulotu on Shaun Nua’s Impact
The first question asked of him was how he explains the jump in production from 5.5 sacks in 2021 to 13.5 this past fall.
“I give a lot of credit to coach [Shaun] Nua,” Tuipulotu said. “Preparation before the season started, during the season. He just prepared me very well and he helped me a lot to get those stats.”
Tuipulotu credited Nua with helping him develop a counter off that power rush. He called it a hop out, which allows him to show power and then change his rush.
“That’s something I had to progress throughout the season and learn throughout the season from coach Nua,” Tuipulotu said.
Tuipulotu on NFL Meetings
Tuipulotu said he’s met with many NFL teams during the combine. He specifically mentioned Miami, Green Bay, Atlanta, Buffalo and Cincinnati as the ones he could think of immediately.
He added that the interview process was something he focused on heading into the Combine.
Tuipulotu showed tremendous growth during his USC career when it came to being comfortable in an interview setting. He said he knew he needed to be at his best there this week.
“That’s one thing I tried to focus on, just give better interviews,” Tuipulotu said. “That’s something that coach Nua helped me out with, too. Interviews, going over plays. He has a lot of experience, so he knew a lot of the stuff that would be asked of me.”
