2021 NFL Draft defensive tackle rankings: Jaylen Twyman is underrated
By John Blair
5. Marlon Tuipulotu, USC
6-foot-2, 305 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Third round
A player who is currently being underrated is USC defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu. While Tuipulotu might not have the most impressive stats of any defensive tackle in the 2021 NFL Draft he does make a difference on the field. This past season was his best year and he was named to the All-Pac-12 team.
Tuipulotu shows several traits that should translate well to the NFL. One of these is his impressive play against the run. He does a great job of holding his ground in this area and also shows impressive athletic ability for a player his size. This athletic ability allows him to chase downplays and move well laterally along the line of scrimmage. Despite his limited sack total, he does show a nice burst as a pass rusher as well.
The biggest red flag with Tuipulotu is his history of back injuries. He missed one game in 2019 due to issues with his back and missed most of the 2017 season due to similar issues with his back. Another concern is that he does play a little upright at times which can cause him to lose some of his power. One other issue with Tuipulotu is that he does miss some tackles from time to time.
While Tuipulotu might be drafted later than where he is graded here, if he can stay healthy he should be able to develop into a starting defensive tackle in the NFL.