Selected 14th overall in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft out of Utah, Star Lotulelei arrived in Charlotte as an immediate interior anchor. Born in Tonga before growing up in Utah, Lotulelei stepped straight into general manager Dave Gettleman’s defensive overhaul as the primary run-plugging nose tackle for Ron Rivera’s front four.

Lotulelei relied on broad-framed strength, low leverage, and heavy hands. Operating at right defensive tackle before shifting to left defensive tackle, his primary role was absorbing double-teams at the line of scrimmage, holding ground in B-gaps, and freeing up linebackers Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis to scrape downhill clean.

Lotulelei enjoyed an immediate impact as a rookie in 2013, starting all 16 regular-season games. He recorded 42 tackles, 3.0 sacks, and nine tackles for loss, finishing fourth in AP Defensive Rookie of the Year voting and earning PFWA All-Rookie Team honors. His interior anchor transformed Carolina’s run defense, propelling the unit from 14th to 2nd in the league.

Paired alongside fellow 2013 draft pick Kawann Short, Lotulelei served as the dirty-work half of Carolina’s interior duo. During the 2015 season, he started 14 games for a unit that went 15–1 and advanced to Super Bowl 50, anchoring a defense that consistently dominated opposing ground attacks.

Lotulelei played out his five-year rookie contract in Charlotte after the team exercised his fifth-year option for the 2017 season. With Carolina heavily invested in Short's contract extension and having drafted Vernon Butler in the first round, the Panthers allowed Lotulelei to hit the open market in March 2018, and he signed with Buffalo.

With the Panthers, Lotulelei recorded 141 tackles, 11.5 sacks, 28 tackles for loss, 24 QB hits, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.