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Taken in the second round of the 2006 Draft (41st overall); appeared in 15 games as rookie and started the final eight games of the year at right guard.
Protected Matt Leinart as a member of the offensive line at USC for two years.
A consensus All-American in 2005, was also named USC’s Offensive Lineman of the Year and co-Most Inspirational Player.
Grew up a Cardinals fan in Mesa, AZ.
Pro Career:
Drafted in the second round (41st overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft, Lutui appeared in 15 games, starting the final nine at right guard where he blocked for college teammate Matt Leinart.
2006: The Cardinals second round pick appeared in 15 games with starts in the final nine contests of his rookie campaign made his NFL debut on special teams in the season opener vs. SF (9/10) inactive @ Atl (10/1) saw his first career action on the offensive line when he replaced the injured Milford Brown vs. KC (10/8) logged the first start of his NFL career at right guard @ GB (10/29) started his third NFL game just hours after his wife gave birth to a baby girl vs. Det (11/19) helped lead Edgerrin James to his second straight 115-yard performance and was part of a line that did not allow a sack vs. Sea (12/10) started at right guard and was part of an offensive line that led James to 105 yards rushing; James became the first Cardinals RB to rush for 1,000 yards in a season since Adrian Murrell in 1998 finished the season with his ninth consecutive start at right guard @ SD (12/31).
College:
After attending Mesa (AZ) Community College and then Snow (UT) Junior College, transferred to USC in 2004 and immediately stepped in as the starter at Matt Leinart’s blindside tackle moved inside to left guard in 2005 and started every game moved to left guard from right tackle as a senior and was named to the 2005 Football Coaches, Football Writers, The Sporting News, ESPN.com, SI.com, CBS Sportsline.com and Rivals.com All-American first team named AP, Walter Camp and Collegefootballnews.com All-American second team named USC’s Offensive Lineman of the Year, co-Most Inspirational Player, and co-Lifter Award transferred to USC and started all 13 games at right tackle as a junior on the team that finished undefeated and won their second consecutive National Championship named J.C. Grid-Wire and National Junior College Athletic Association All-American first team at Snow Junior College Snow finished 9-1 and tied for fourth in the final NJCAA poll originally signed with Utah in 2002 but did not qualify for admission.
Personal:
Full name Taitusi Lutui married, wife’s name is Pua their son, Inoke Liuaki Moe Hau Lutui (Return a champion) was born on Jan. 5, 2005, one day after USC’s win in the 2005 Orange Bowl and their daughter, Melenani Talavou Lutui was born just hours before the team played Detroit on 11/19/06 born in Ha’api, Tonga performed in the Arizona Easter Pagaent, the world's largest annual outdoor Easter pageant in the spring of 2007 cousin of former NFL return specialist Vai Sikahema, who became the first Tongan to play in the NFL when he was drafted by the Cardinals in the 10th round of the 1986 Draft; like Lutui, Sikahema also starred at Mesa High named Super Prep All-Farwest, Prep Star All-West, All-State, All-Region and All-Conference as a two-way lineman at Mesa High School. | 