On Sunday evening the Washington Huskies received the commitment from the starting defensive tackle on the number 1 high school team in the nation.
Rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports, the newest Washington commit patiently flew under the radar as his body healed. That’s not easy for someone who is 6’4 and 305 pounds while anchoring the defense of the top high school team in the nation, but that’s what happened when Sau Lefotu tore his ACL as a sophomore at St. John Bosco. By the end of his junior season, he was finally able to put on his navy, gold, and white 91.
In the long run, the injury has helped him take better care of his body.
“I’m in the best shape of my life,” he said after his official visit to Washington. “I am now 100 percent. I feel great.”
Good enough to be one of four guys that stood out at the Speed-Power-Exposure Camp in Lousiana in late January. Soon after that, he received his first Power 5 offer from Michigan State. Then he did it again as one of the top defensive performers at the Giant Skillz National Showcase in February in California.
— Sua Lefotu (@SuaLefotu) February 21, 2022
In fact, his name kept popping up on the spring football camp circuit, and several Pac-12 schools took notice of the big defensive tackle. In the SoCal Under Armour Next All-American Camp he took home a Top DL Performer award. Then came the camp that changed everything for him.
“I met coach Inoke this year at the Redlands Mega Camp in June,” he said.
He wasn’t holding back at all.
“Mentally it was difficult to trust my knee again,” he said. “I think the mental part was more difficult than the actual process of recovery.”
One required patience while the other took a leap of faith.
“It was mentally challenging,” he said.
But at the Redlands Camp, he was able to make believers out of four Pac-12 teams. Colorado came calling first, followed by Arizona State, and Arizona. Finally, the offer from Washington came through on the same day, June 14th.
Ten days later he was on the University of Washington campus on the first of his allotted 5 official visits with his Bosco teammate and Washington commit, linebacker Deven Bryant.
As quickly as his star had risen he shut down his recruiting, committing Sunday night.
“I had never been to Washington until this visit,” he said. “But it was just right. It felt like home and I know they have the resources and facilities to develop me for the next level.”
Now back at St. John Bosco, he is getting ready to go out and win a championship.
“We have already started practice at Bosco,” he said. “I am training 6 days a week. Getting ready to win a championship game for Bosco.”
