NFL Execs Make it Clear Chargers' Tuli Tuipulotu Isn't Household Name...Yet

The Los Angeles Chargers have something special on their hands with edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu.

Just don’t tell the rest of the NFL, apparently.

Tuipulotu is a major contract extension candidate with the Chargers this summer. He’s set to break the bank, to get cliche, if not reset the entire edge rusher market for the foreseeable future.

But let the national scene tell it, most NFL fans will respond with a collective who? when the news finally hits the airwaves.

The latest example of this comes from a major annual player ranking that loops in the opinions of NFL executives, scouts and coaches.

ESPN’s top 10 list disrespects a Chargers star

Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu — Tuli Tuipulotu | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Disclaimer: It’s fair if Khalil Mack is the big name most know when it comes to the Chargers defense.

Not fair, one could argue, is completely keeping Tuipulotu’s name off top-10 lists.

ESPN’s annual edge rusher rankings that polled NFL personnel does just that, though, not even putting Tuipulotu in the "honorable mentions” or “also receiving votes” categories.

Myles Garrett, now of the Los Angeles Rams, tops the list, with Green Bay Packers star Micah Parsons right behind him. Notably, names like Jared Verse and Josh Hines-Allen check in as honorable mentions, while the likes of Nick Herbig and Travon Walker also got nods.

There’s certainly a case to be made for Tuipulotu.

Last year, Tuipulotu tallied 13 sacks, the sixth-most in the NFL. He had 20 tackles for loss, the fourth-most. Add on three passes defended and two forced fumbles, with one recovered. Over at PFF, Tuipulotu finished with a 68.2 grade, which was only 53rd out of 115 edges ranked. But his pass-rush grade (74.4) ranked 26th.

There’s the NFL top 100 list to consider, too. Tuipulotu debuted this year at No. 86.

"In about every area of his game. Ball moves, he moves," Jim Harbaugh said about Tuipulotu, according to Chargers.com’s Omar Navarro. "Being able to defeat a blocker, come to a point, strike a blow, control the block, shed, run to the ball. As relentless as any player I've been around.”

Still just 23 years old, Tuipulotu still has plenty of time to keep making an impression on the rest of the NFL and national scene as a whole. But it’s clear he’s going a little overlooked right now, which, frankly, the Chargers probably won’t complain too much about.

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