Tuli Tuipulotu Selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2023 NFL Draft
Tuli Tuipulotu is officially off to the NFL. The former USC defensive standout was selected No. 54 overall by the Los Angeles Chargers in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft on Friday evening.
Tuipulotu is the second Trojan taken in this draft after wide receiver Jordan Addison went No. 23 overall in the first round. And he joins last year’s second-round pick Drake Jackson as just the two USC defensive players taken in the first two rounds of the last five NFL drafts.
Tuipulotu becomes NFL draft pick No. 521 overall for USC in its history.
The Trojans are second all-time behind Notre Dame in that category. He joins older brother Marlon Tuipulotu in becoming an NFL draft pick. Marlon was selected in the sixth round of the 2021 draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Now, Tuipulotu gets to stay in Los Angeles to start his professional career, which is great news for USC fans hoping to continue watching him play. He’ll join a dynamic defensive front for the Chargers, which features Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. Edge was seen as a need for Los Angeles. But Tuipulotu offers defensive versatility with his ability to play inside or outside along the line of scrimmage.
The Chargers selected former TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston in the first round of the 2023 draft.
Tuipulotu in College
Tuipulotu was dominant for much of his career in cardinal and gold. In three years at USC, Tuipulotu recorded 21 sacks and 32 tackles for loss among his 116 total stops. He also tallied five pass deflections, four forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
He was at his best this past season. Tuipulotu led the nation with 13.5 sacks. And he led the USC defense by a wide margin with 22 tackles for loss.
He recorded four games with multiple sacks in 2022, including back-to-back against Cal and Colorado, and a three-sack performance against Washington State.
But what always stuck out about Tuipulotu was his constant motor and elite work ethic. Defensive coordinators Todd Orlando and Alex Grinch raved about Tuipulotu as a person and player from the moment they stepped on campus. Both used him frequently as the example of how a great player practices.
Tuipulotu was a Unanimous All-American selection in 2022. He also was named the Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year in the Pac-12.
