J.T. Tuimoloau is still one of the NFL Draft’s most talented players

Could Kansas City go after the Ohio State edge rusher who is one of the most talented players in the draft class?

When the 2025 NFL Draft begins on Thursday night, the Kansas City Chiefs might be going after an edge rusher — a position that general manager Brett Veach has identified as among the deepest in this class.

In any case, good teams like the Chiefs are always trying to find talented pass-rushing prospects — and Ohio State defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau is one of the best available in this draft. But while he was once considered a clear-cut first-round pick, he has fallen on most draft boards. In our consensus ranking of the top 100 players, he is now ranked 46th.

Could the Chiefs be going after him? Let’s take a look.

Background

A five-star prospect out of Eastside Catholic High School in Edgewood, Washington, Tuimoloau decided on Ohio State after getting offers from almost two dozen of the nation’s top programs. Starting 42 games for the Buckeyes, he was highly productive; he collected 23.5 sacks and 45 tackles for loss over four seasons, leading to three first-team All Big 10 honors.

Checking into the NFL Combine at 6 feet 4 and 265 pounds — with 33 3/4-inch arms and 10-inch hands — he has a prototypical frame for an NFL defensive end, displaying athletic ability that will allow him to excel in any system. While he did not participate in 40-yard dash testing, his vertical and broad jumps demonstrated explosive athletic ability and a 4.37-second shuttle drill showed his change-of-direction skills and lateral movement ability.

Film evaluation

On film, Tuimoloau shows he has a high-level understanding of how to use leverage to generate power as a pass rusher. With his powerful leg drive and skilled hands, he was among college football’s best power rushers.

Starting wide on this play, Tuimoloau uses his alignment as a runway to build power into his rush. As he approaches the right tackle, he sinks his hips and fires both hands into the tackle’s chest, starting to drive him into the pocket. As he drives, he reaches full extension — and full control of the play. When the quarterback tries to step up, Tuimoloau goes through the B-gap to get the sack.

Here we see Tuimoloau lined up as a 5-technique before returning to the B-gap and landing his hands perfectly on the left guard. With his power (and arm-length advantage), he reaches full extension and presses the guard back to collapse the pocket. The quarterback gets happy feet — and with the extension he created, Tuimoloau quickly comes up with the sack.

While these are very simple pass-rushing moves, Tuimoloau’s superior strength (and flawless execution) make them look easy.

On this snap, Tuimolau lines up wide to create another launching pad, hits the left tackle like a ton of bricks and goes right through him to the quarterback.

This power will be the base of Tuimoloau’s NFL game. While he didn’t have to use much more than that at Ohio State, developing secondary pass-rushing moves will be critical to his NFL development. When he showed glimpses of other moves, they were all set up by the threat of his power.

The left tackle is anticipating a power rush on this snap, so he lunges — trying to quickly get his hands on the pass rusher— but with a fluid spin, Tuimoloau almost gets home for the sack before he is tripped.

Tuimoloau also saw plenty of jump sets and flat sets as opponents tried to combat his vicious power.

Attempting a jump set on this play, the tackle tries to get his hands on the pass rusher. But Tuimoloau quickly dips down, sinks his hips and works his way around the edge. With the pressure on his face, the quarterback’s pass is intercepted.

While his power represents the foundation of his game, Tuimoloau has shown more than enough evidence that he will be able to develop a larger arsenal of moves as a pro.

The bottom line

Draft cycles are all about risers and fallers — and in Tuimoloau’s case, his stock has fallen some. There are questions about his overall potential as a player and whether his power will translate to the next level. But like anyone else, NFL scouts and analysts can be drawn to the “shiny new toy,” which can sometimes make them look past quality players in the hunt for someone new.

In some respects, Tuimoloau is on a similar draft arc as George Karlaftis. Before the Chiefs selected him at the end of the first round, many analysts had Karlaftis as a potential top-10 pick. While his draft stock fell for similar reasons, Karlaftis’ NFL career has shown he is a player with top-10 potential.

While his value may have dropped for some teams, Tuimoloau’s scheme fit in Kansas City would provide instant value, adding another talented pass rusher to the roster.

Some teams want to shoot for the stars with their draft picks. But sometimes it is more important to value substance over flash. Tuimoloau would be a fantastic pick for the Chiefs.