2025 three-star linebacker Max Fonoimoana commits to Utah after official visit

Hawaiian linebacker announced his intentions on Father's Day

Max Fonoimoana/Utah

Three-star linebacker Max Fonoimoana committed to Utah's 2025 recruiting class on Sunday morning. One of the most underrated additions for the Utes, who will join his brother, Brock, after they serve their LDS missions. This means he'll enroll at Utah in 2027.

"I love the culture at the University of Utah," Fonoimoana told 247Sports. "The Utes have a winning tradition with awesome coaches that have been around and will continue to be here, even after I serve a two-year church mission.

@Utah_Football it is with my brother @BrockFonoimoana just like my grandpa Bill Cravens & hopefully follow my grandpa Ed Brock. 🙏🏽family, friends, coaches, & the #RedRaiderNation. @RecruitKahuku @BrandonHuffman @SBartle247 @GregBiggins @adamgorney @BlairAngulo @polynesiabowl pic.twitter.com/gs0SQYnjsF

— Maximum Moe Fonoimoana 6’3 225 lbs. 3⭐️ LB/Edge (@MFonoimoana) June 16, 2024

"The Utes have a great academic program and architecture, which I want to study."

Fonoimoana joins Kyle Whittingham’s squad as a legacy recruit. His grandfather, Bill Cravens played quarterback at Utah in the 1960s.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Fonoimoana has tremendous upside as a top-five athlete from Hawaii. He's also noted as the 65th-best linebacker in the nation, according to 247Sports.

A few pacific coast team were high on Fonoimoana, including Cal, Oregon State, Hawaii and Arizona, but he felt Utah was his second home of the future.

"The Utes have an awesome defense and send a lot of players to the NFL," Fonoimoana said. "I get to play with my brother Brock and all my cousins, just like my grandpa Bill Cravens did."

Fonoimoana became the seventh commitment to Kyle Whittingham’s program in the class of 2025. He was joined later on Sunday by fellow linebacker Christian Thatcher to make eight in total for the Utes.