Tevarua Tafiti would love to watch this afternoon’s NFL Draft.
It’s not going to happen. Just an hour after announcing via Twitter that Michigan has offered him a football scholarship, the studious sophomore was back in the grind. At his desk.
“Actually, I have to finish papers for school. Hawaiian modern history. It basically covers everything,” said Tafiti, a 6-foot-3, 208-pound defensive end who was voted by coaches and media to the Star-Advertiser All-State first team last fall.
Since Arizona and Oregon offered scholarships to Tafiti on Apr. 15, he has also received offers from Louisville and Oregon State in addition to Michigan. Oregon offered on the morning of Apr. 15, and Civil War rival Oregon State followed that afternoon.
The move by the Wolverines was crazy fast. Then again, Tafiti has a 3.4 grade-point average, and has the ability to pass rush and drop into coverage.
“Yesterday (Wednesday), I shot out my film to Michigan. I called them today and they offered me. I was totally surprised because Michigan is a big school in the Big 10, one of the best conferences,” Tafiti said.
All-State wide receiver Roman Wilson of Saint Louis is heading there next season. Campbell’s All-State receiver, junior Titus Mokiao-Atimalala also has an offer from Big Blue.
“I talked with Shaun Nua, the D-line coach. He played at BYU. He’s from Samoa. He likes my pass rush, the instinct coming off the edge,” Tafiti said.
Louisville has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 2012.
“Lamar Jackson went there,” Tafiti said. “I talked to Coach Frank (Ponce.)”
Oregon State became the sixth team from the Pac-12 to make an offer.
“I talked to multiple coaches after sending them stuff out and I called them,” Tafiti said.
Tafiti's updated offer list: Arizona State, Hawaii, Louisville, Michigan, Oregon, Oregon State, Utah, Washington. That's eight offers as a sophomore. It was just three opportunities two weeks ago.
“It feels like a huge amount. I was just surprised after the Utah offer, all these started popping up,” he said. “Right now it’s still more casual. I talk to my parents. My dad (Matthew) plays a big rule. He reminds me stay humble.”
Right now, there may be no better recruiter in the nation, really, than Tafiti. He has sent his video to coaches across the country, and the results have been rewarding.
“Kahanu (Kia) is a big help,” Tafiti said. “He got me going on how to talk to coaches and send them video.”
For now, it’s history homework. And painting sea creatures.
“I have to finish a painting project, it’s actually for Visual (class), which is Art and English together. This quarter we’re focusing on more realism. Last quarter was more abstract,” Tafiti said. “I’m going to paint a jellyfish.”
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