SALT LAKE CITY — Leki Fotu will be a run-stuffer in Arizona.
The 6-foot-5, 330-pounder was selected by the Cardinals with the 114th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft Saturday, joining a long line of former Utah defensive tackles who make it into the league.
He becomes the first Herriman High alum to be taken in the NFL draft, while another former Mustang, Utah linebacker Francis Bernard, could go in the draft’s third day as well.
“Fotu is a massive run stuffer who should be in an interesting competition with Jordan Phillips for the starting nose tackle job. The Cardinals need to make sure they’re stout in the middle against the run-centric NFC West,” NFL.com’s Mark Dulgerian wrote in analyzing the pick.
Fotu was a 2019 All-American and started each of the past two seasons on the front seven for a formidable Utah defense. Fotu had nine tackles for loss last season, third on the team, and finished his Utes career with 85 tackles and 4.5 sacks.