Colts' Jonah Laulu Credits Mother's Work Ethic in Reaching NFL

Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Jonah Laulu used lessons learned from his mom to overcome the odds and make it to the NFL.

Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Jonah Laulu (8) reacts during a timeout. / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

When the NFL draft reaches the seventh round, the remaining prospects begin to get very anxious.

With only a handful of picks left, the chances of going undrafted begin to climb drastically. Available players also begin to receive phone calls from various teams, not to draft them but to recruit them to sign for way less money if they go undrafted.

That's what started to happen to Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Jonah Laulu. As the picks dwindled, Laulu was not sure he would be picked. That was until the Indianapolis Colts came calling, selecting Laulu with the No.234 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Even Laulu did not believe it at first, asking Colts general manager Chris Ballard if it was a prank call. It was not a prank call, but rather the call that would change the 22-year-old's life forever.

No, @Jonah_laulu, this isn’t a prank call. 😂

More highlights on https://t.co/L0POMCe2XT pic.twitter.com/tRd0AtB5MA

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) April 27, 2024

"It's been a really long process," Laulu said after he was drafted. "Right before I transferred to Oklahoma, I think that's when I realized, 'Okay, I can really make football my career.' Just being able – this don't even feel real. I'm still shaking. It's something you always dream about. Everybody says 'I want to go play in the NFL.' Being one of the guys that actually gets to do it is just crazy."

The 6-5, 292-pound defensive lineman has had to endure a long road to the NFL. Position changes, coaching changes, and transferring to a new school almost 4,000 miles from his previous school have all led Laulu to this moment. He kept his head down and worked through it all, and for that, he credits the example his mother set for him and his siblings.

"What kept me going was when I was younger, I got my work ethic from my mom," Laulu explained. "There was a point where she had to file for bankruptcy and she had to take up two jobs. She would go work her job from 7 in the morning to 3, 4 p.m. She would come home, make sure we were all good, and then she'd go to her other job. She took up a job at Macy's, checking out people. And so, seeing that at my age – I was like 15 – it was a really pivotal point for me."

Seeing how much his mom sacrificed to provide for their family put things into perspective for Laulu. It made the problems he was facing in football as a high school student seem so miniscule. If his mother could push through all the chaos in their lives while continuing to provide for and show love to their family, Laulu could do the same.

"Football was fun, I was a big dude in high school. It was easy for me," Laulu admitted. "I had coaches back then that, they tried to switch my position to offense and offensive line, and I didn't want to play offensive line and I was kind of stressed out. But seeing my mom and what she was going through just for us, it kind of changed my mindset. I've always had that mindset of working because nothing in life is handed to you. Nothing in life is given to you. You've got to go and take it yourself."

What happens next for the Colts? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Colts news delivered to your inbox daily!

Laulu played multiple positions on offense and defense in high school, doing whatever coaches asked him to do. A native of Las Vegas, Nev., Laulu signed with the University of Hawaii to initially play tight end. But after one season as a tight end, Hawaii coaches asked him to move to the defensive line.

Laulu liked the fit on the defensive line, but after a coaching staff change at Hawaii, he felt he was not getting any better. The defensive scheme was not a fit, and Laulu could feel his technique slipping. That was unacceptable for a kid who holds himself accountable, as Laulu does.

"I have really high expectations for myself and I'm really, really hard on myself, which I think is a good and bad thing," Laulu revealed. "Because if I don't meet my expectations, I'll be really hard on myself and I'll really get in my head. It kind of motivates me to just keep going, which helped me get to where I am."

Laulu transferred to the University of Oklahoma in 2022, where he found a new love for the game and began to see himself improve again. He moved from a defensive end/outside linebacker hybrid to a defensive tackle and felt more at home than ever. In his six-year college career, Laulu registered 102 tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.

Oklahoma defensive lineman Jonah Laulu (8) tackles an Iowa State running back. / Des Moines Register-USA TODAY Sports

Laulu impressed at his pro day, running a 4.96 40-yard dash and displaying elite explosiveness (36-inch vertical, 9-10 broad jump). Laulu caught the attention of Colts' southwest area scout Anthony Coughlin with his size and ability to move. While Laulu may be a developmental prospect, he has the athletic profile (9.62 RAS) the Colts love in their defensive lineman.

"My guy Anthony (Coughlan) over there, he was scouting me," Laulu remarked. "I thought it was really cool just being able to talk to NFL teams because where I'm at right now is what I used to pray for. And so, just being able to talk to scouts on Zoom I thought was really cool. He was saying that they really liked me. And it was just crazy, I didn't know they liked me this much."

The Colts kept tabs on Laulu throughout the pre-draft process, even bringing him in for a 30 visit. As the Colts' coaching staff got to know Laulu more, he felt like a solid fit within their defensive line room. A high-end athlete with great character and an immense passion to improve his game is just the type of prospect the Colts like to take shots on.

"They had me come out for a visit," Laulu remembered. "I really love the staff. They got to learn more about my story. Coach (Charlie) Partridge and Coach (Gus) Bradley, they really got to learn about my story and how I had to take things into my own hands to get to where I was. I really loved talking to all the coaches and we got a badass GM, Chris Ballard. We just had a good connection when I went, and shoot, here I am."

Laulu is still quite raw and will need to work on his game before he sees any meaningful playing time with the Colts. A year on the practice squad may be beneficial for Laulu, spending the season learning from the likes of DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart.

Regardless of his role this season, you can expect Laulu to use the work ethic he learned from his mother to reach his full potential in the NFL.

---

Want more Colts content? Check out the latest episode of the Horseshoe Huddle Podcast!

Follow Horseshoe Huddle on Facebook and X, and subscribe on YouTube for multiple Colts live-stream podcasts per week.