Fresh off a national championship title with the Buckeyes, J.T. Tuimoloau was one of the key contributors to Ohio State’s strong defensive season. But what might make you want to draft him—or, on the contrary, leave him off your list of targets next April? That’s exactly what we’re going to dive into.

 

J.T is, above all, a dominant player. He’s powerful, and that clearly shows in his playing style, which—as you might have guessed—leans heavily toward the power rusher archetype. And to be fair, he definitely has the frame for it. While you should always take ESPN’s listed numbers with a grain of salt until official measurements are confirmed, watching the tape suggests that his currently listed size online doesn’t seem far off the mark.

At 6'5" and 269 lbs (officially listed at 6'4" – 265 lbs post-Combine), Tuimoloau is a sturdy player who doesn’t hesitate to use his weight to put pressure on the opposing offensive line.

 

He notably possesses a solid punch that feels both heavy and powerful, and he uses it effectively to create space in run situations or to open a lane for a pass-rush move. This is a strong asset, especially since he doesn’t hesitate to lean into his power in any situation. As a result, it’s not uncommon to see J.T. dominate when using his bull-rush, as he’s able to generate impressive upper body strength.

 

However, his upper body strength isn’t the only physical trait worth noting—he’s also capable of generating just as much power from his lower body. This allows him, once again, to be dominant, particularly when he needs to hold his gap responsibilities in run situations.

What's more, this good lower-body strength can also be felt on his Takeoff, as he's rather explosive on his exit from Stance.

 

Now that we’ve covered Tuimoloau’s physical traits, let’s move on to his technique—an area where he also holds his own. While we’ve already briefly mentioned his Bull-rush, which remains one of his favorite weapons, J.T. actually has a more complete arsenal of pass rush moves than one might expect from someone labeled as a Power Rusher archetype.

Of course, we’re still a long way off from the level of someone like Laiatu Latu (Colts), who was exceptional in this regard, but it's still solid for a player of his archetype. On the power rush side, we find the usuals—Bull-rush, Push-pull, Rip move, and a Club move that he occasionally pulls out when needed. J.T. also seems to have been trying to develop a Long Arm move over the past two seasons, but it’s still too tentative in my opinion—which is a shame, given the power he displays when trying to create separation with his punch. This will definitely need further work at the pro level, as it could become a valuable weapon in the future. What’s especially interesting, beyond those power moves, are the flashes he's shown over the past two years in speed rush techniques. In particular, he tends to rely on a quick and well-executed Swim move, some nice activity and upper-body flexibility when swiping hands away, and a Spin move that he mostly uses as a counter. While that Spin move isn’t elite, it at least adds another tool to his toolbox.

It's encouraging, and a good basis for the coaching staff to work on.

 

Overall, Tuimoloau is a willing and disciplined player, and this is especially evident in run situations. J.T. consistently gives maximum effort, unlike some other edge rushers I’ve observed over the years who thrive when it comes to hunting down the quarterback but tend to ease off when it’s time to get their hands dirty in the trenches.

That's a trait I really appreciate in him, especially since, as I mentioned, he remains disciplined in his effort. Give him the responsibility to hold the contain and he'll get it done. Ask him to sacrifice himself by taking on two blockers to free up a blitz and he'll do it. All good things on that front.