Boise State recruit earns state Player of the Year honors

Boise State defensive line commit Deuce Alailefaleula picked up a major honor last week.

Alailefaleula, a standout for Bartlett High School in Anchorage, was named Alaska Player of the Year by MaxPreps. 

The 6-foot-1, 290-pound Alailefaleula dominated as a senior with 117 total tackles (25 for loss), 11 sacks and five blocked field goals. He helped lead Bartlett to the program’s first state championship game appearance since 2017. 

Alailefaleula was at his best in the Division 1 state semifinals, piling up 23 total tackles (five for loss) and a sack in a 9-2 victory over Anchorage’s Service High School.

The top-ranked class of 2026 prospect in Alaska by 247Sports, Alailefaleula committed to the Broncos in June over offers from Arizona, California, Boston College, UNLV, Washington State and numerous others. He is rated the No. 143 defensive line prospect nationally by 247Sports. 

During his junior season for Bartlett, Alailefaleula had 78 total tackles (10 for loss), seven sacks, 18 quarterback hurries and one forced fumble. He also played fullback on offense as Bartlett finished 6-4 overall and reached the Division 1 state semifinals. 

Boise State’s 2026 recruiting class recently suffered a major blow with the loss of four-star quarterback Tradon Bessinger of Utah’s Davis High School. 

After decommitting from the Broncos, Bessinger received a bump in the 247Sports composite ratings. He is now rated the No. 205 overall player nationally and the country’s No. 14 quarterback prospect. 

As of Monday morning, Boise State is No. 57 in the 247Sports class of 2026 team recruiting rankings. 

Here are the Broncos’ 22 known commitments for their 2026 recruiting class: 

Deuce Alailefaleula, defensive line, Bartlett (Alaska) 

Jacob Arbuckle II, athlete, Tahquitz (California)

Ryan Brekke, tight end, Owyhee (Idaho)

Keawe Browne, tight end, Corona Centennial (California) 

Romeo Carter, wide receiver, Point Loma (California)

Kole Cronin, offensive line, Bishop Manogue (Nevada) 

Rocky Dunn, athlete, Melissa (Texas)

Iosua Faleagafua, offensive line, Mount Miguel (California) 

Terrious Favors, athlete, Carver (Georgia)

Jayden Flournoy, defensive back, Burleson (Texas)

Tyler Himebauch, long snapper, Palmer Ridge (Colorado)

Beckham Hofland, tight end, Los Alamitos (California)

Rasean Jones, wide receiver, Rocky Mountain (Idaho) 

AJ Logan, wide receiver, Mount Miguel (California) 

CD Nuno, athlete, Philomath (Oregon) 

Rowan Rupp, defensive line, Rocky Mountain (Idaho)

Bradan Scott, kicker/punter, Santa Fe Christian (California) 

Mariyon Sloan, running back, Shafter (California)

Hakeim Smalls, offensive line, Archbishop Murphy (Washington)

Paz St John, defensive line, Liberty (Arizona)

Jackson Taylor, quarterback, Thousand Oaks (California) 

Corey Webb Jr., athlete, Tonopah Valley (Arizona)