Star Lotulelei Starlite Lotulelei ( pronounced ; born December 20 , 1989 ) is an American football defensive tackle . He shared the 2011 Morris Trophy for the best lineman in the Pacific - 12 Conference with Matt Kalil , and was named All - Conference First Team . He is projected to be one of the top picks in the 2013 NFL Draft . High school and junior college career . A native of Tonga , Lotulelei attended Bingham High School in South Jordan , Utah . Playing defensive lineman at 240 pounds , he helped the team to a 14 – 0 record and a state title in 2006 . Lotulelei registered 72 tackles and seven sacks as a senior . Regarded as a three - star recruit by " Rivals . com " , Lotulelei was listed as the No . 3 overall prospect from Utah . However , he was overshadowed by Oregon - bound Simi Fili , who was labeled the best defensive lineman from Utah since Haloti Ngata , but eventually bounced around between junior colleges before falling into obscurity and eventually becoming a strongman competitor . Lotulelei , too , failed to qualify academically for his original school of choice , Brigham Young University . He eventually spent what would have been his freshman season delivering furniture for a store in Salt Lake City . After a year , he enrolled at Snow College in Ephraim , Utah . Now far over 300 pounds , Lotulelei played defensive line for the Badgers alongside James Aiono , and recorded 52 tackles with 14 TFL , three sacks and one forced fumble in 2008 . Snow College reached the 2008 NJCAA national championship game , but lost 37 – 30 in double - overtime to Butler Community College . Lotulelei then took the 2009 season off to preserve another year of college eligibility . He was still recruited by BYU , but also Oregon State , Utah State , and Utah . " The Utah coaches came down to Snow a couple of times , " Lotulelei said . " They showed me they really wanted me . It showed me they really cared . So coming here wasn ' t that hard of a choice . " College career . In 2010 , Lotulelei arrived at the University of Utah , playing in all 13 games and making the starting lineup for the Utes ' final three games of the season . He totaled 21 tackles with 2 . 5 TFL , and also was credited for a half quarterback sack , which came against San Jose State in arguably his best game of the season ( season - high five tackles ) . Lotulelei also made several appearances at offensive guard . A regular starter in 2011 , Lotulelei was a All - Pac - 12 Conference performer and won the Morris Trophy as the league ' s best defensive lineman . He started all 13 games , and registered 44 tackles , 1 . 5 sacks , one pass breakup , a forced fumble and a fumble recovery . His 9 . 0 tackles for loss tied sophomore linebacker Trevor Reilly for second on the team . In a 14 – 31 loss against Washington , Lotulelei had six tackles including 2 . 5 TFL . A week later he had five tackles in a 14 – 35 loss against Arizona State . Against California , Lotulelei surprised with a 17 - yard reception on a fake punt play . Utah finished the regular season 7 – 5 and played Georgia Tech in the 2011 Sun Bowl . Lotulelei made six tackles and recovered a fumble and was named the Bowl ' s Most Valuable Lineman . Lotulelei returned to Utah for his senior year , and started in all 12 games at nose tackle . He recorded 42 tackles included a team - high 11 tackles for loss and 5 . 0 sacks , while also having four pass breakups , four fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles . A season - high seven tackles plus two pass breakup came early in the season in a 24 – 21 win against his former school , Brigham Young . Lotulelei blocked a 51 - yard field goal attempt with 1 second remaining following a third - down incompletion . Two weeks later , Lotulelei had a heralded performance against highly rated USC Trojans center Khaled Holmes in a 28 – 38 loss for the Utes . Professional career . 2013 NFL Draft . Forgoing the chance of a professional career in 2012 , Lotulelei decided to return to Utah after the 2011 season . In preseason mock draft s from May 2012 , Lotulelei was listed as a late first - rounder for the 2013 NFL Draft as well . By mid - season , he had moved up to a top - 3 spot . Utah has not seen one of their defensive linemen selected in the first round since Luther Elliss in 1995 . Lotulelei was not allowed to work out with the rest of the defensive lineman at the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine after an echocardiogram revealed an abnormally low ejection fraction . While a normal heart will pump between 55 to 70 percent of the blood out of the left ventricle of the heart and into the body , Lotulelei ' s left ventricle was found to be pumping at only 44 percent . A month after the combine , Lotulelei worked out in front of NFL personnel at Utah ' s Pro Day . He reportedly " looked strong in all the position drills , " and registered 38 repetitions in the 225 - pound bench press , which would have tied him with Margus Hunt and Brandon Williams for the top mark at the combine . Personal . Born on Tonga , Lotulelei moved with his family to Utah at age 9 . His father , Sitaliti , is a Mormon seminary teacher and has a doctorate from Brigham Young University . Lotulelei is married to Fuiva , with daughters Arilani and Pesatina .