Philadelphia Eagles: Marlon Tuipulotu can stuff the run right away

Howie Roseman has a very specific philosophy on building a winning team: Build in the trenches.

Since becoming the Philadelphia Eagles‘ GM in 2010, Roseman has invested more draft picks on linemen, both offensive and defense, than any other position and has found successful players in seemingly every round. From Fletcher Cox and Lane Johnson in the first round to late-round overachievers like Josh Sweat, Jason Kelce, and even UDFAs like Cedric Thorton and Nate Herbig, the Eagles are a team who have found ways to remain stout upfront, assuming they don’t suffer a slew of injuries across the board a la in 2020.

So naturally, after picking a wide receiver, center, defensive end, and cornerback with their first four picks, it was only logical that Roseman would head back to the proverbial well to further fortify a position of strength with yet another lineman, right?

Well, fortunately for fans in the 215, the Philadelphia Eagles did just that and actually landed a pretty darn intriguing option atop the sixth round who will surely enter defensive tackle rotation sooner than later in USC’s Marlon Tuipulotu.

Marlon Tuipulotu is a good DT3 for the Philadelphia Eagles.

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When the Philadelphia Eagles made Javon Hargrave the highest-paid nose tackle in NFL history, it came as a bit of a surprise.

After transforming himself from a third-round pick into a full-time starter at the nose with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the idea of playing Hargrave next to Fletcher Cox in a 4-3 scheme was a tad controversial, to say the least.

In hindsight, though, the deal was great, as both of current defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon’s former teams, the Minnesota Vikings and the Indianapolis Colts, deployed a bigger nose-style tackle in their 4-3 starting lineups, and Hargrave should be able to step into that role with little resistance.

And now, the Eagles have a perfect 1b behind Hargrave to step in when the “Gravedigger” gets tired or just needs a break.

A four-star recruit out of Oregon, Tuipulotu committed to USC over Washington and immediately flashed as the Trojans’ top interior tackle. He showed promise as a pass rusher, recording 8.5 sacks over his four-year career in LA, but where Tuipulotu really made his money was against the run, where he shined as a pocket-collapsing bull-rusher. Despite measuring in at 6-foot-3, 305 pounds, Tuipulotu lined up over the zero-through-five-tech depending on the down, distance, and situation and, for the most part, remained a bright spot on an otherwise disappointing defensive line in 2020.

Had Tuipulotu instead opted to play for a school with more defensive line talent like Alabama, Miami, or even USC’s cross-town rivals, the UCLA Bruins, maybe he would have picked up a few more sacks and thus been drafted higher, but between you and me, I think getting to play next to Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, and even Hargrave is a worthy consolation prize.

Even after signing Hassan Ridgeway to yet another contract and retaining promising ex-Michigan State UDFA Raequan Williams, there’s still a role for Tuipulotu right out the gate with the Eagles as either their DT3 or DT4 in 2021, even if he only rotates in on early downs or at the goal line.

Factor in athletic alien Marlon Williams in the third round, and Tarron Jackson two picks after Tuipulotu at 191, and suddenly, the Eagles’ defensive line just got a whole lot better versus both the run and the pass.

Next. Milton Williams is a classic Howie Roseman pick. dark

Even in the modern-day, pass-happy NFL, stopping the run is still incredibly important. Marlon Tuipulotu can do that right out of the gate. If he can develop into a plus-pass rusher, too, the Philadelphia Eagles may have just landed themselves a massive steal, but even if he doesn’t, landing a four-year role player in the sixth round is a great value, even if he doesn’t necessarily play a position of need in 2021.

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