JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State Football News: Draft Scout Player News

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08/21/22 - DE JT Tuimoloau, Sr/2025, Ohio State

The leadup to defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau's freshman season at Ohio State was cramped. His prolonged recruitment, a result of the coronavirus pandemic, made for a late arrival last summer. After holding off on a commitment until the Fourth of July, he enrolled only a couple of weeks before the start of preseason training camp. But this has been a traditional offseason of preparation with spring practice and strength and conditioning workouts following his debut. "It just feels great to have a full season and everything under your belt," Tuimoloau said. The routine has left him in position to emerge as a potential breakout star on the Buckeyes' defensive line. It's a leap veteran defensive line coach Larry Johnson sees as a possibility.

Johnson remarked after practice on Tuesday that a lot of promising linemen take their biggest step in development in their second seasons. "If he continues to move forward," Johnson said, "he'll have the chance to do something special down the road." Few players on the roster are as talented as Tuimoloau, who was the crown jewel of the Buckeyes' recruiting class in 2021 and one of the highest-ranked prospects in the nation in the cycle. Even after stepping foot onto campus later than the rest of his freshman class, he showed glimpses of his potential last fall, finishing with 17 tackles, including 4.5 for a loss, and 2.5 sacks. "I've seen him grow a lot in a lot of areas," Johnson said. "I've seen him mature. I've seen a guy who's gotten much stronger. He's more flexible. He can bend. He can run. And he's playing practice really well." - The Columbus Dispatch

Sr/2025