Washington defensive lineman Zion Tupuola-Fetui overcame adversity to become a productive member of a Huskies defense that helped the program advance to the National Championship Game in 2023. Tupuola-Fetui recorded 8.0 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss across his final two seasons. He’s looking to make a similar impact at the next level.
Tupuola-Fetui recently spoke exclusively with The Draft Network about his productive seasons, helping Washington establish a new culture, his pass-rush arsenal, which teams are showing interest in his services, and more.
JM: You recorded 8.0 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss across your final two seasons at Washington. I feel like we saw the lightbulb come on. What changed for you?
Zion Tupuola-Fetui: I think my overall understanding of the game took a step forward. I had some injuries in my past. It felt good to finally put those in my rearview mirror. I did a better job focusing on the mental aspects of football. I became a more well-rounded player.
JM: It was evident through your 8.0 sacks in two seasons. How would you describe your pass rush arsenal?
Zion Tupuola-Fetui: I love converting speed to power. That’s probably my go-to move. I do a great job turning speed into power against offensive linemen. I like to work in a good spin counter as well.
JM: We’ve seen that on tape from you. You arrived at Washington in 2018 and played for a few different coaches as the program tried to right the ship. Everything changed under Kalen DeBoer in 2022. The program advanced to the National Championship in 2023. How did you see the culture change throughout your time? You made a positive impact on the culture.
Zion Tupuola-Fetui: I came in under coach Chris Petersen. The program had lost a couple of bowl games in previous seasons. We had a great coaching staff. The culture at that point was definitely driven by the older players. We understood that the work needed to be put in.
Going into coach Jimmy Lake, there was a lot to navigate through with COVID. I don’t think we really had a chance to set the standard for our culture. Things got crazy with the shortened season and everybody went their separate ways. It went the way it did.
With coach Kalen DeBoer, he was huge on having the players set a standard. He wanted the players to hold each other accountable. I think coach DeBoer did a great job setting clear expectations.
Team meetings, after practice, one-on-one meetings, we saw our leadership grow. Coach DeBoer wanted the players to establish the culture. He didn’t want his coaching staff to force anything. That natural progression worked for us.
JM: I love that. So many great teammates were a part of that change with you. If you were going to war tomorrow and could bring just one teammate with you, who would you bring and why?
Zion Tupuola-Fetui: That’s a tough question. I’d probably go with Bralen Trice. He’s an outdoorsman (laughs). He could totally live off the grid if he wanted to (laughs). He’s built to survive the elements. I think we’d be alright out there together. If things went south, I’d want him on my side (laughs).
JM: That’s hilarious. Do you have any in-person 30 visits scheduled? What's the process been like meeting with these teams?
Zion Tupuola-Fetui: Yeah, I’ve met with a few teams throughout the process. We’ve been in constant contact. It’s been a fun, interesting process. The last time I went through something like this was probably when I was being recruited out of high school.
The interest has been cool. I overcame a lot of adversity at Washington. I’ve met with the Jets and Packers to name a few. Those two probably stick out. I’ve met with a solid handful of teams for sure.
JM: There’s lots of interest in you and it’s easy to see why. We've appreciated your time today. What kind of impact is Zion Tupuola-Fetui going to make at the next level?
Zion Tupuola-Fetui: I’m going to bring a lot of energy to the table. I’m going to keep my head down and learn how to move about in the NFL. Give me a few seasons and I’ll have reached my full potential.
I’m going to be a productive member of the team. I’m going to help establish a more positive culture, just like I did at Washington. I’m going to be a productive player on the field as well.
