Every year, there are at least a few Ohio State Buckeyes who take their talent to the NFL Draft. That will be no different with this season’s group of prospects, headlined by Marvin Harrison Jr. Still, the son of the former Hall of Fame wide receiver isn’t the only bonafide future pro currently on the Buckeyes roster.
Another player who turns the heads of pro scouts is edge prospect J.T. Tuimoloau. The 6-foot-4, 277-pound defensive lineman is a former five-star recruit who had enough athleticism to draw a scholarship offer from Oregon to play college basketball too. Yet, Tuimoloau opted to continue polishing his skills at Ohio State, where he managed to see the field from the very beginning, playing in all 13 of the Buckeyes’ games as a freshman.
Tuimoloau’s seemingly been dominant ever since, especially against Penn State. Last year, in his sophomore season, he became the first player in the 21st century to record two interceptions, two sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery, which happened against the Nittany Lions. Recently, he went toe-to-toe with Olumuyiwa Fashanu, a projected first-round offensive tackle at Penn State, yet Tuimoloau still recorded a sack and a tackle for loss.
Now up to four sacks and five tackles for loss in his junior year, Tuimoloau’s reportedly a “shoo-in” to enter his name in the 2024 NFL Draft, according to college football insider Tony Pauline. For now, he’s projected to be a late first-round pick, but Ohio State still has three games left in their season. If Tuimoloau finishes the season strong and tests well in the NFL Scouting Combine, his draft stock might be able to continue trending up.
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