Illinois Offers JUCO Offensive Lineman Maika Matelau: What It Means

If you're not familiar with offensive lineman Maika Matelau and Mt. San Antonio College, you're missing out. Both are dominating their competition, and slowly but surely all of college football is learning about the star freshman Matelau and the Mt. SAC program.

That includes other football programs across the country. Over the past week, Matelau racked up three scholarship offers – North Carolina State, Boise State and California – before Illinois and coach Bret Bielema made it four on Wednesday.

Mt. SAC's only loss last year was in the California Junior College Championship Game, and over the last three years, Mt. SAC has lost just three times. One of the main reasons Mt. SAC's offense is averaging 37.8 points per game and nearly 500 yards of total offense per game is because of Maetlau.

Scouting Maika Matelau

Matelau is a 6-foot-5, 320-pound interior offensive lineman whose game is built on pure power. From Upland, California, Matelau is categorized in the JUCO class of 2026 and is gaining more recognition for his physicality and road-grading run blocking. He has good feet and more mobility than most athletes his size, and he has built his body up in two years since graduating high school.

And according to Mt. SAC offensive line coach Bernard Ventura, Matelau may be the best he has worked with during his decade-long tenure with the program. That's a pretty bold statement from a coach whose previous charges include Joseph Borjon (starting right tackle at San Diego State) and Keanu Mailoto (redshirt senior defensive lineman at Boise State).