rugged, high-motor Illini DL with a Tongan edge
Joe Fotu was a reliable rotational defensive lineman for Illinois in the 2014 and 2015 seasons, appearing in 14 games and finishing with 12 total tackles, including a career-best three-tackle game in each season. He was a junior-college transfer who arrived with a reputation as a disruptive, physical edge player after posting 23 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery at Laney College in 2013, and he was ranked by 247Sports as the No. 11 junior college defensive end in the nation. Why care? He brings toughness, experience, and a grinder’s mentality—useful if you want a dependable, no-drama trench guy.
