Lopeti Moala Sends Clear Message After BYU Commitment

BYU football picked up another recruiting win on Monday afternoon. Orem High School defensive lineman Lopeti "Juni" Moala announced his commitment to BYU on social media. 

"Thank you to all the coaches and schools who offered me," Moala wrote. "After talks with my parents, personal prayer and careful consideration. I have decided to commit to Brigham Young University!" 

At 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds, Moala stays in the Beehive State as an underrated three-star prospect. He picked up 12 offers with half of those coming from Big 12 schools, including Utah. Kalani Sitake and his staff are getting Moala's commitment at the right time. He's noted as the 12th-best player in the state and 106th overall for his position. 

"For me, growing up in Utah, I was able to go to games, meetings, and after my official visit, that's what sold me on BYU," Moala told Athlon after his announcement. "It's just knowing that we're being able to build something special in Provo."

Sitake continues to roll out one of the best recruiting classes in program history. The group, led by five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons, is ranked 33th nationally next year with Moala coming in as the 15th pledge on the books. He's also the seventh in-state recruit, showing the Cougars' strength as an emerging force ahead of Kyle Whittingham and the Utes.      

"He's family," Moala said about Sitake. "My official visit there showed me he was down to earth and allowed me to connect with him on a deeper level. With coach and his entire staff at BYU, what you see is what you get. There's no hidden agenda and it's what sets them apart from other schools." 

Moala's final three was BYU, UCLA, and Utah. He's coming off a successful junior year with 79 tackles (seven for loss) at Davis High School in Kaysville. His plan for his senior year at Orem is to maintain the standard. "I'm going to continue to do what I've been doing," Moala said. "To be bigger, faster, stronger, and dominant. I'm just a baller."