J.T. Tuimoloau’s journey from highly touted recruit to college champion has now brought him to the NFL.
The former Ohio State defensive end officially signed his rookie contract with the Indianapolis Colts after being picked 45th overall in the 2025 draft. With training camp just around the corner, Tuimoloau’s deal marks one of the last rookies’ signings to be completed across the league.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapaport was the first to report the news Friday afternoon. Contract details haven’t been released yet, but the deal is done.
Tuimoloau came to Columbus as one of the most highly touted recruits in program history, ranked No. 2 nationally in the 2021 class by 247Sports. And over four years at Ohio State, he delivered.
Tuimoloau put up big numbers in college — 23.5 sacks, 144 tackles, and three forced fumbles — helping Ohio State grab their first national title in more than a decade.
Now, he’s off to Indianapolis, where the Colts are looking to end their playoff drought that’s lasted since 2020. On the defensive line, he’ll be alongside 2024 first-round pick Laiatu Latu from UCLA and veteran DeForest Buckner — a group bringing serious Big Ten toughness to the league.
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The Colts made it clear they wanted to bulk up in the trenches this offseason, and getting Tuimoloau under contract was a big step in that plan. He was one of the final rookies leaguewide to agree to terms, just in time for training camp to open in the coming weeks.
Now under contract, Tuimoloau enters camp with high expectations and a chance to prove he belongs among the NFL’s elite. If his college dominance carries over, the Colts may have found the defensive anchor they've been missing.