Why the Colts drafted JT Tuimoloau in the second round

Indianapolis Star

26-04-2025

The Colts lost Dayo Odeyingbo in free agency and took JT Tuimoloau in the second round as a replacement
Tuimoloau had 6.5 sacks in four College Football Playoff games facing two first-round tackles
Tuimoloau was the No. 2 recruit in the nation in 2021
INDIANAPOLIS -- This offseason, Colts GM Chris Ballard was on a hunt for his next edge rusher.
With Dayo Odeyingbo's oversized-end, inside-outside game departing to Chicago in free agency, Ballard had a blueprint of sorts to start from. He wanted to be open-minded with it, the way he was before selecting a much slimmer Laiatu Latu in the first round a year ago.
But the ninth-year general manager has a type, and he felt something when he watched JT Tuimoloau play in the playoff this year.
"He was outstanding," Ballard said of this year's second-round draft pick. "He's got some unique qualities. He's a big guy. He's a really good athlete. He can bend. He can rush. He knows how to rush. He's got good length. We were excited to get him."
Four playoff games produced 6.5 sacks against some of the top tackles in this year's draft -- first-round picks like Kelvin Banks Jr. of Texas and Josh Connerly of Oregon. Suddenly, Tuimoloau had Ohio State knocking off Notre Dame to win the national championship, and the No. 2 national recruit in the 2021 class saw his long playing career come to a close by ascending above a run-stuffing profile to the pass rushing sphere the Colts now need.
A year after the highest-paid defensive line in the NFL saw its sack production drop and Odeyingbo leave in free agency, the Colts now have a third end to rotate along with Kwity Paye and Laiatu Latu. Tuimoloau became the Colts' second draft pick behind Penn State tight end Tyler Warren at No. 80 overall.
"He's more outside, but they kicked him inside on third downs at Ohio State," Ballard said of Tuimoloau. "I felt really fortunate to get him. I think everyone would tell you that in our room."
Tuimoloau was solidly a second-round prospect by almost all draft analysts after a three-year starting career with 23.5 career sacks. He finished with 12.5 this season, including 6.5 in the final four games.
At 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds, he profiles similarly to Paye as a base end who is better against the run than the pass. But he comes into the league with more production and readiness than Paye, who needed to add a full array of pass rushing moves upon his first-round selection out of Michigan.
Tuimoloau figures to start opposite Paye on run downs, with Latu joining the two on passing downs. That could involve Tuimoloau sliding inside next to DeForest Buckner, or it could be a part of a five-man defensive line that features all three defensive ends, a wrinkle that new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo used in Cincinnati.
Tuimoloau gives the Colts a second defensive end under contract for 2026 to join Latu. If Paye doesn't ink an extension, Tuimoloau could slide into his spot as the strong-side starting end.
He knows who he is as a player, and it's the kind that catches Ballard's eye.
'I'd say, 1, passionate and, 2, powerful," Tuimoloau said of his game. "I think you're just getting an all-around player who is always hungry and never wants to settle.'