2021 NFL Draft: 5 under-the-radar steals from Day 3
By Sam Penix
2. Marlon Tuipulotu, DT, Philadelphia Eagles
In a weak defensive tackle class, Tuipulotu provided one of the safest options at the position. He is a limited athlete, but he’s also a stout 6-foot-1 308 pounds with quality strength for a nose tackle. He isn’t a great pass-rusher, but he’s also not a player that must be taken off the field on third downs because can definitely provide some pocket push. As a pure nose tackle, he is above average on the athleticism spectrum.
Where Tuipulotu shines is in his ability to shed blocks, which is a requisite skill for a one-tech. He has powerful hands and knows how to use them; he forklifts offensive linemen to give himself room to work, and while Tuipulotu doesn’t have great length, he uses what he does have quite well.
He isn’t a flashy player, but Tuipulotu consistently does his job against the run, whether he’s filling his gap and allowing others to penetrate, or taking on responsibility as he’s two-gapping.
Philadelphia has an aging and expensive defensive tackle room, and Tuipulotu and third-round pick Milton Williams could be the long-term starters at the position. For an early sixth-rounder in Tuipulotu’s case, that’s excellent value for a team that really needed it.