Indianapolis Colts’ second-round draft pick, defensive end JT Tuimoloau, brings a well-rounded skill set to Lou Anarumo’s defensive scheme.
“Super excited,” said Anarumo about adding Tuimoloau. “I just think that JT brings so many different tools with him. He can rush. He is a big guy, so can slide down inside and use him somewhat as an inside rusher potentially. He’s stout against the run. He’s been able to take the ball away, I think he’s had 16 some-odd sacks in his career. You’re talking about a guy that’s had proven production at the highest level.”
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Tuimoloau was a three-down presence at Ohio State, showcasing his ability to both pressure the quarterback and hold up in the run game. Among all defensive ends last season, Tuimolau ranked 14th in total pressures, and he was sixth in PFF’s run defense grade.
But beyond his production, Tuimoloau brings added versatility to this Colts‘ front as well. As Tuimoloau described, he can win in a variety of ways and was tasked with different responsibilities at Ohio State. He can also line up across multiple gaps, which is an important element within Anarumo’s defense, where we will see a bit more movement up front.
In fact, Tuimoloau’s skill set may be quite familiar to Anarumo. Following the NFL draft, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler emptied his notebook and included was a comp for Tuimoloau, who has been compared to now-retired Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard.
Like Tuimoloau, Hubbard made an impact against the run and the pass. This included routinely grading out well in PFF’s run defense grade metric, along with recording two 60-plus pressure seasons.
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Tuimoloau will be an immediate factor in the Colts’ defensive end rotation. Early on, he could potentially carve out a role as an early down defender who could also rush from the interior during obvious passing situations.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Lou Anarumo ‘super excited’ to add JT Tuimoloau to Indianapolis Colts’ defense