Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Tyson Alualu is a very low-key player, it's just who he is. He doesn't say a lot, he's quiet, and in media sessions you've got pry him to talk at times. There's nothing at all wrong with that, that's just him, he's a great kid who's humble and works his butt off. That hard work Alualu puts in, looks like it should pay dividends in 2011.
As much as we've had camp reports, and from multiple people, this morning I realized... no one has really mentioned Tyson Alualu outside of the Oklahoma drill, where he absolutely dominated rookie guard Will Rackley. I felt the need to mention Alualu, because well... that's how he's looked all camp so far. Despite the reports of Austen Lane and Aaron Morgan looking much improved, it's easier for an edge rusher to catch one's eye than a defensive tackle. I realized it last night watching Alualu in some drills and I thought "Man, he's looked great all week."
As mentioned, being low-key is kind of Alualu's "thing". From getting the jeers of "Alual-who?" on draft day when general manager Gene Smith took the relatively unknown defensive lineman from Cal to ESPN's Herm Edwards not even knowing how to say his name, Alualu is poised to make a splash in 2011. His rookie campaign was actually very impressed for being thrown into the starting line-up on Week 1. Ndamkong Suh got all the glory for rookie defensive lineman, because quite honestly he was a monster for the Detroit Lions. After Suh however, I think the case could be made that Alualu was the second best defensive lineman in his rookie year out of the 2010 draft class.
The Jaguars are counting on Alualu to be a part of their pass rush, from the inside. He's quick off the snap and has some nice power moves, so he shoud give interior lineman fits. We saw flashes of his pass rush ability last year and he ended the season with 3.5 sacks. That number should go up in 2011.