UCLA Football Makes Class of 2024 O-Lineman Paki Finau's Top 7
The Bruins remain in the hunt for another one of California's top prospects in the trenches.
Class of 2024 offensive lineman Paki Finau trimmed his list down to seven on Monday night, including UCLA football among the semifinalists. The 6-foot-5, 260-pound recruit out of Oak Hills (CA) is also still considering Penn State, Utah, Auburn, Washington, Arizona State and Arizona.
Finau had additional offers from Baylor, Boston College, BYU, Cal, Florida State, Fresno State, Maryland, Miami (FL), Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico State, Oregon, Oregon State, San Diego State, San Jose State, UNLV, Washington State and Western Michigan.
Finau has told multiple outlets that he has four official visits booked in June, all in consecutive weekends. The Inland Empire native will first head down to Arizona, followed by Utah, Penn State and Washington.
Before the NCAA approved a new rule that allowed athletes to take unlimited official visits back on April 14, Finau would have only had one more in his back pocket to use at either UCLA, Auburn or Arizona State. Now, Finau will have the freedom to take officials with all three, if he chooses to do so.
The Bruins hosted Finau for a gameday visit at the Rose Bowl last fall, according to 247Sports' Bruin Report Online.
Finau appeared at the National Preps Showcase at the NFL Pro Bowl last February, then returned to Las Vegas for the Polynesian Bowl National Combine & Showcase in March. Finau also went to the Under Armour Next Camp Series in Los Angeles earlier that month.
Starring up front for Oak Hills last season, Finau wound up making the All-CIF Southern Section Division 2 Team, as well as CalHiSports.com's 2022 California All-State Team. Most of Finau's experience has come at right tackle, but he is being ranked as an interior lineman in some databases.
Finau is a four-star recruit, according to 247Sports, ESPN and On3, while Rivals has pegged him as a three-star. In the 247Sports Composite, Finau ranks as the No. 23 player in California, the No. 18 interior offensive lineman in the country and the No. 269 overall prospect in his class.
Among offensive linemen in California, Finau ranks No. 4. The Bruins have offered each of the top six linemen in the state
UCLA has three commits in its 2024 recruiting class – four-star defensive back Khristian Dunbar-Hawkins, three-star tackle Mark Schroller and three-star tackle Joshua Glanz. The Bruins' class ranks No. 52 in the country and No. 4 in the Pac-12.
Schroller is the No. 5 offensive lineman in California, while Glanz ranks No. 7.
Even with two tackles already committed, offensive line coach Tim Drevno likely isn't done adding bodies just yet, considering how thin the position room is projected to be moving forward.
Old Dominion transfer left tackle Khadere Kounta and super senior center Duke Clemens are entering their final years of eligibility, while Purdue transfer left guard Spencer Holstege will have one more season in 2024 if he elects to use it. Right tackle Garrett DiGiorgio, on the other hand, will have two years left after 2023.
Between their last two high school recruiting classes, the Bruins have added just two offensive linemen, both of whom were three-star prospects ranked outside the top 500 nationally – Sam Yoon and Tavake Tuikolovatu. Of the six who joined in the 2020 and 2021 recruiting classes, four remain, none of whom were top 500 prospects.
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