Tuli Tuipulotu has started this season like a bolt of lightning for the Los Angeles Chargers. Tuipulotu’s 13.5 sacks in his final year at USC earned him 2022 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors and a second-round selection in this year’s draft by the Chargers. While he’s behind two of the best pass rushers in the NFL on the depth chart — Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack — Tuipulotu has still managed to put up strong numbers this season.
Through four games, Tuipulotu has two sacks, four tackles for loss, and five quarterback hits.
The Athletic released its NFL All-Rookie Team through the quarter mark of the season, with Tuipulotu making the list at edge rusher.
NFL Staff Writer Diante Lee pointed out how some of the rookie’s traits that made him successful at the collegiate level has translated early on in the pros.
Lee wrote:
“Just like in his final season at USC, Tuipulotu is producing with a relentless motor and hand-fighting skills. He’s second among all rookie edge rushers in total pressures (14) and just a shade behind Anderson in pressure rate.”
Other commentators weighed in as well:
“The best player on the field defensively in this game was a rookie, and it was Tuli Tuipulotu,” said Daniel Jeremiah on his “Move the Sticks” podcast. “He was awesome against the Raiders. He had four or five pressures. He had a sack. He could have had three or four sacks. It’s one of those things where he generates the carnage, and everyone else gets to kind of clean it up.”
Tuli Tuipulotu vs 7 Raiders
=TFL pic.twitter.com/pQm1UWehpj— BOLTS Draft Talk (@BoltsDraftTalk) October 3, 2023
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