J.T. Tuimoloau, EDGE*
Ohio State boasts one of most formidable starting edge rusher/defensive end duos in the P4 in seniors J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer. Tuimoloau and Sawyer combined for four sacks and five tackles for loss in Ohio State's 20-point victory over the No. 1 Oregon Ducks in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl.
Tuimoloau leads the Buckeyes in sacks (10.0) and tackles for loss (17.0). He's one of the top edge rushers/defensive ends in college football, and is expected to be a late-first round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft next spring.
Like Egbuka, Texas offered Tuimoloau pretty early on in his recruitment. But the most relevant connection between Tuimoloau and the Longhorns' current coaching staff is DC Pete Kwiatkowski. PK was the primary recruiter for the Washington Huskies on the recruiting trail pursuing Tuimoloau.
The West Coast connections and defensive line development at Washington appealed to the No. 1 defensive line recruit in the nation in the 2021 class in the 247Sports Composite. It also helped that PK and the Huskies were the first P4 school to show significant interest and offer Tuimoloau, who hailed from Eastside Catholic High School in Sammamish, WA.
"They were the first school to offer me and they're close to home and I have a good relationship with coach PK and I've gotten to develop a good relationship with coach Lake."JT Tuimoloau
Multiple coaches on Texas's current staff had recruited Tuimoloau at past coaching stops a few years ago. Johnny Nansen was one of the top recruiters from the UCLA Bruins on the trail for Tuimoloau.