Washington Huskies defensive tackle Tuli Letuligasenoa is among the most experienced and productive interior defensive line prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. A multi-year starter, Letuligasenoa departs Washington with 113 tackles and 17.5 tackles for loss to his name. This past season, Letuligasenoa helped the Huskies program make history by advancing to their first National Championship appearance.
Letuligasenoa recently spoke with The Draft Network for an exclusive interview. Letuligasenoa discussed his experience at the East-West Shrine Game, which NFL teams showed interest in his services, defending the run, batting down passes, and more.
JM: What an incredible season it was for you and the Washington Huskies, having advanced to the program’s first National Championship. How do you reflect on the season?
Tuli Letuligasenoa: You summed it up nicely. It was a great season for us. It was definitely an amazing experience for me personally. Obviously, I wish the season finished in better fashion, I wish we could have finished it off.
At the end of the day, I just wanted to help leave the Washington Huskies program in better condition than it was in when I first arrived. I firmly believe we did just that.
JM: Absolutely you did. You recently participated in the East-West Shrine Game. What was the overall experience like?
Tuli Letuligasenoa: It was a great experience. I met with a bunch of NFL scouts. I showcased some of the skills and traits I’ve been working on throughout this pre-draft process. Going up against that talent level was a great opportunity for me.
JM: What do you think you proved to NFL scouts and decision-makers in attendance?
Tuli Letuligasenoa: I think I proved that I can push the pocket with success. I wanted to show everybody that I’m a three-down defender, somebody that you can leave on the field for third down. Like I said, I can push the pocket and put some pressure on the quarterback.
JM: Did you meet with any NFL teams while participating?
Tuli Letuligasenoa: I met with a few teams. The Shrine Bowl had scheduled meeting times between teams and the players. They had like two rooms set up. There was one room where we’d meet with all the teams. There was another room where we’d meet one-on-one.
I had some great meetings. The Atlanta Falcons showed me a lot of love. They had some great words to say about me. They stood out to me. I had some great meetings with a few other teams as well. The Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns come to mind.
JM: That’s great. How would you describe your skill set? Self-scout yourself for us.
Tuli Letuligasenoa: I’m a dominant run defender first and foremost. I take a lot of pride in playing with terrific physicality. I’m a defender that can wreck a play in the backfield at any point in the game. Like I said earlier, I can put pressure on the quarterback in many different ways.
I can pressure the quarterback, or I can get my hands up and swat the ball down. I have a good feel for that. There are other ways I can make a big impact on the game, things that don’t always show up on the box score. That’s what I’m all about.
JM: You said it. You’ve been an outstanding run defender for the Huskies. You depart the program with 17.5 tackles for loss under your belt. What is it about your game that allowed you to get so much backfield penetration?
Tuli Letuligasenoa: I was responsive to the great coaching I received at Washington. I was always trying to implement the minor details they were coaching into my game. Getting into the backfield was my mission on a snap-by-snap basis.
JM: I wasn’t going to ask you about this initially, but you brought up batting the ball down. You had nine pass breakups at Washington. You did a great job impacting throwing lanes. Is that just through repetition in practice?
Tuli Letuligasenoa: Yeah, it’s definitely about repetition and knowing when to get your hands up. It's also about understanding the down and distance. If they’re trying to convert a third-and-short, it’s probably going to be a shorter, quicker pass. Those throws are a little closer to going over our heads. I’m always looking to impact those plays.
JM: You had so many incredible teammates at Washington, but I’m going to put you on the spot. If you were going to war tomorrow and could only bring one with you, who would you bring and why?
Tuli Letuligasenoa: Man, that’s a tough question. There are so many great teammates to choose from. For me, I’d probably say Bralen Trice. He played just outside of me. He’s somebody that brings the correct work ethic to practice every single day. You know what you’re going to get out of him every day. He’s extremely consistent like that. I’d pick Bralen Trice.
JM: He’s a special player. What kinda coach is Alabama getting in Kalen DeBoer?
Tuli Letuligasenoa: They’re getting a great coach. He’s extremely motivated to be the best. You can see what he achieved at Washington in the short amount of time that he was there. Alabama is getting a great motivator. He wants to win a lot of ball games.
JM: We’ve appreciated your time today. Why should a team use one of their draft picks on Tuli Letuligasenoa in the 2024 NFL Draft?
Tuli Letuligasenoa: They’re going to get somebody that’s going to come in and work hard every single day. I’m going to do things the right way. I want to compete for snaps immediately. I’m going to keep showcasing my talents while getting better and better in all facets of my game.
I’m looking forward to expanding my role however I can. I want to help the team win however I can.
Tuli Letuligasenoa at 49ers Pro Day
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v--iA2RENbM