STRENGTHS - Tipoti has very good height and weight for his position and seems to have shorter legs, which helps him in terms of maintaining leverage. He has an excellent motor which allows him to make more plays than his athleticism would suggest he is capable of. He shows good strength at the POA, excelling at stacking his man at the LOS, reading the play with his eyes then shedding to get to the ball. He has an excellent get-off and can penetrate gaps easily, causing the running back to have to alter and allowing his teammates to flow to the ball. He has excellent short area burst.
WEAKNESSES - Tipoti has a very quick get-off but after that, he looks tired, showing little ability to close on the ball carrier. He struggles to change directions effectively, as he often looks stiff in his movement .Despite good strength at the POA he does not have an effective bull rush because he lacks a strong punch. He also shows little in terms of polish and versatility as a pass rusher. He struggles to adjust to targets in space and lacks the speed to consistently make plays in pursuit. He is a gap penetrator, needing work in almost every other facet of the game.
SUMMARY - Tipoti was a productive player at California because of his motor and get-off burst, but his average athleticism will limit his usage at the next level. He has the ideal frame to play in a 3-4, as he lacks the quickness and agility coming off the edge to be effective as a 4-3 end. Tipoti is at his best when can penetrate gaps, allowing him to take advantage of his good instincts to disrupt the offense and allow his linebackers to flow to the ball. A team that runs a 3-4 scheme is likely to draft Tipoti on day 3, as he projects well as a 5-technique DE. If he can add some additional bulk to his frame he has the mentality and skill set to develop into a solid 2-down run defender at the next level. Currently, Tipoti warrants consideration in Round 5 of the 2013 NFL draft.