Chargers News: LA Rookie Defender Making Waves In First 3 Games
In this story:
When the Chargers picked up Tuli Tuipultou in last year's draft, I don't think they expected this kind of impact on the field right away.
The fact that he's in the same category as Nick Bosa and Kayvon Thibodeaux should say something about the way he plays.
If this is what we get 3 weeks into his NFL career, then imagine what the rest of his career might look like!
His snap count has definitely seen an increase with Joey Bosa being on a limited workload due to his hamstring issue, but if he keeps playing the way he's been playing, he could possibly see some starter reps.
He has 13 quarterback pressures so far this season, which is the most by a rookie edge rusher through three games since Nick Bosa's 17 and Josh Allen's 15 in 2019. His 10-pressure performance on Sunday definitely helped with that stat.
Despite this stellar start, Staley also voiced the fact that he still has a lot to work on:
"He's an improving player with a lot to learn. He's going to improve a lot. He's the right guy to be coaching."
His flashes of greatness were apparent even as he was playing college ball right down the street at USC.
During his time as a Trojan, he racked up 116 total tackles, and 21 sacks over his three-year college career.
The fact that the Chargers could scoop him up in the second round of the draft last year was kind of a miracle.
If they can coach him up a little more, and maybe get some of the great veteran pass rushers to mentor him, the sky's the limit for this guy.
And if the defense as a whole could defend better against the pass, Tuipulotu's name might become a more common household name among elite pass rushers in the league.
Don't forget to join our community at LA Sports Report, where we celebrate all things Chargers!
