Gophers land commitment from OL Saia Mapakaitolo
Two days after picking up an offer from Minnesota, Red Mountain (Ariz.) offensive lineman Saia Mapakaitolo has announced his commitment to the Gophers.
The three-star prospect backed off his verbal pledge from Southern Cal on December 22nd after being committed to the Trojans for seven months.
Minnesota offensive line coach Brian Callahan got involved immediately after Mapakaitolo was back on the market and has built a good rapport with the 6-foot-5, 280-pound prospect.
"I was on the virtual visit and I really liked it, they made me feel welcomed through FaceTime, it was legit," Mapakaitolo told The Gopher Report on Tuesday. "After I decommitted from USC, Steven (Ruzic) and Coach (Brian) Callahan hit me up and I was all for it. I talk with Coach Callahan the most. I like how he talks about my family and how he can develop me, not only on the field but into men in the future as our lives go on. He really likes my athleticism and thinks I can pack on some weight."
Head coach P.J. Fleck, as always, was heavily involved and extended the offer to Mapakaitolo on Tuesday.
BYU, Oregon State, and Washington State were other schools that were making a late push.
After playing his junior season at Mission Hills (Calif.) Alemany, Mapakaitolo moved to Arizona for his senior season but was ruled ineligible to play due to transfer issues.
He becomes the 18th overall commitment for the Gophers in the 2021 class and the third offensive lineman - joining Logan Purcell of Annandale (Minn.) and Cameron James of Simeon (Ill.).
SCOUTING REPORT:
"Mapakaitolo brings a solid level of technique to the table. He’s listed as 6-5, 280 but in reality, he’s only 265 and needs to add some lower body and upper body weight to be more explosive at the offensive tackle position. His athleticism and light feet are certainly intriguing from a technique standpoint. He also shows quick hands when defensive lineman engage in a pass rush and he does a great job of making sure they don’t get hands on his inside chest. To be a dominant force on the offensive line at the power five level, he will need to add some upper body and lower body weight to take his game to the next level." - TrojanSports.com Recruiting Analyst Alec Simpson.
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