Man, sports can be incredibly cruel. One minute you’re the most feared pass rusher in the Pac-12, a guy whose name—Zion Tupuola-Fetui—is being mocked into the first round of the NFL Draft, and the next, you’re just trying to find a roster spot in a completely different league. If you followed the Washington Huskies over the last few years, you know exactly who ZTF is. He was the guy with the colorful hair, the relentless motor, and that weird, almost supernatural ability to strip the ball away from quarterbacks like he was taking candy from a baby.
But the Zion Tupuola-Fetui NFL draft journey didn’t end with a jersey on a stage in Detroit. It ended with him going undrafted in 2024.
Honestly, it’s a story that makes you realize how thin the margin for error is in pro sports. We’re talking about a guy who had seven sacks in just three games back in 2020. That is absurd. People were calling him a "one-man wrecking crew." Then, life happened.
The Freak Injury That Changed Everything
In the spring of 2021, everything shifted. During a routine practice, ZTF tore his Achilles tendon. If you know anything about edge rushers, you know the Achilles is the "death knell" for explosive movement. To play defensive end or outside linebacker at an elite level, you need that "get-off"—the split-second burst when the ball is snapped.
An Achilles rupture basically steals that from you.
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ZTF fought back like a warrior, though. He returned way faster than anyone expected, but he just didn't look the same. The twitch was slightly dulled. He was still good—he was still an All-Pac-12 honorable mention in 2022 and 2023—but that "top-15 pick" aura had evaporated. NFL scouts are notoriously cold-blooded. They don’t draft you for what you were; they draft you for what they think you’ll be in three years.
A Brutal Final College Season
The 2023 season was supposed to be the redemption arc. Washington went on that magical run to the National Championship game. ZTF was a massive part of that defense, starting 14 of 15 games. But he wasn't the primary star anymore—that was Bralen Trice on the other side.
While the team was winning, Zion was dealing with unimaginable personal weight. His father passed away in the middle of the season.
He played through the grief, helping lead the Huskies to the brink of a title, but then the injuries piled up again. He needed shoulder surgery right after the season ended. Because of that surgery, he couldn't participate in the NFL Combine or his Pro Day. Think about that. The biggest job interviews of his life, and he had to sit them out because his body finally gave in.
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Why NFL Teams Passed on Zion Tupuola-Fetui
You’ve gotta look at the numbers and the tape to understand why he fell through the cracks. In the Zion Tupuola-Fetui NFL draft evaluation, scouts pointed to a few glaring issues that "scared" teams off in the later rounds.
- The Medical File: It was just too thick. A torn Achilles in 2021, a concussion later that year, and then the shoulder surgery in 2024. Teams worry about "durability," which is often just a polite word for "bad luck."
- Physical Metrics: At his Combine measurements, he came in at 6'2 3/4" and 244 pounds. For a traditional NFL defensive end, that’s a bit light. He’s more of a 3-4 outside linebacker, but he didn't show the elite lateral quickness needed to cover tight ends or chase down shifty quarterbacks in the open field.
- The "Plateau" Effect: After that seven-sack explosion in 2020, his production never quite hit those heights again. He had 4.5 sacks in 2022 and 3.5 in 2023. Scouts started wondering if that 2020 season was a "flash in the pan" or if the injuries had permanently lowered his ceiling.
Basically, he became a "tweener." Too small to be a pure power rusher, but not quite fast enough anymore to be a pure speed rusher. It’s a tough spot to be in.
Where is ZTF Now?
After the draft ended and the phone didn't ring for a priority free-agent deal, things got quiet. Most of his teammates—Michael Penix Jr., Rome Odunze, Bralen Trice—were starting their NFL careers.
Zion had to pivot.
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In September 2024, he signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League (CFL). It’s not the bright lights of the NFL, but it’s professional football. For a guy like ZTF, the CFL might actually be the perfect place to prove the "twitch" is back. The field is wider, the game is faster, and it requires a lot of mobility. If he can dominate there, the NFL will notice. Scouts never stop watching.
Scouring the Scouting Reports
Looking back at the Draft Network's analysis, they actually nailed it. They called him a "Day 3 — Role Specific Contributor." They praised his "hot motor" and his hand usage but worried about his "limited bend."
When you watch his tape from the Sugar Bowl against Texas, you see the motor. He was everywhere. He doesn't quit on plays. That's the kind of trait that usually gets a guy a look on special teams, but the lack of pre-draft testing (the 40-yard dash, the shuttle run) meant teams didn't have the "data" to back up the tape.
In 2026, the NFL is more data-driven than ever. If you don't have a 40-time, you're a ghost.
Actionable Takeaways for Football Fans
If you're following a player with a similar profile—high production but high injury risk—keep these things in mind about the draft process:
- Medical Checks are King: A player can have 20 sacks, but if the NFL doctors "red flag" a knee or an Achilles, that player will drop three rounds instantly.
- The "Power of Five" Bias: ZTF benefited early from playing at a big school like Washington, but the lack of "elite" traits eventually outweighed the "big school" pedigree.
- Pro Day Importance: If a player misses their Pro Day due to surgery, their chances of being drafted in the late rounds (5-7) drop by nearly 60%. Teams prefer "healthy" flyers over "rehab" projects.
Zion Tupuola-Fetui is still young. He's only 25. While the Zion Tupuola-Fetui NFL draft story didn't have the fairy tale ending in 2024, the "ZTF" era might not be over. It's just taking a detour through Canada. Whether he makes it back to the league or not, his run at Washington remains one of the most dominant—and heartbreaking—stretches in recent college football history.