Savaiinaea is the state’s top target

In the lobby of the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York, where preliminary Heisman Trophy functions were held in December, a Notre Dame follower buttonholed a media pass-wearer in an aloha shirt with a pressing question:

"Has that linebacker from Hawaii (Isaac Savaiinaea) said where he’s going yet?"

Among his other successes, Heisman Trophy runner-up Manti Te’o helped put the Hawaii high school prospects who have followed him in a brighter and wider spotlight.

Schools that had nary scouted Hawaii before Te’o’s senior season of high school — Florida, Ohio State, Texas A&M, Pittsburgh, Kansas, etc. — were in here this year checking out the talent and Savaiinaea, a Punahou School linebacker who has received scholarship offers from a Who’s Who of colleges, was but one of the beneficiaries of the interest.

He tops the Star-Advertiser’s annual list of top Hawaii prospects, an assessment based on the opinions of several college coaches who recruit the state. Overall, 15-20 players are expected to receive scholarships from NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision schools.

Where Savaiinaea will end up could go right down to Wednesday’s National Letter of Intent day, the first opportunity for players to sign binding athletic scholarship agreements with colleges.

From a late group that was also said to have included Notre Dame, Stanford and Hawaii, Savaiinaea has apparently whittled his choice down to UCLA or Texas A&M, said his coach, Kale Ane.

"He’s had great schools to choose from, probably the closest to the number Manti had of anybody we’ve had," Ane said.

With his size, speed and strength, Savaiinaea, a 6-foot-3 230-pounder, would have been a popular target for recruiters at anytime. But following on the heels of that "other" Buffanblu linebacker, Te’o, further served to advertise his wares and further validate Hawaii talent.

"Isaac had the so-called ‘measurables’ you have to have," Ane said "But we’ve had prospects with good ‘measurables’ in the past who didn’t get the kind of attention they could have. Manti, I think, opened the door a little wider for those who came after him."

Ane said, "In 20 years, I don’t remember Ohio State and Florida coming in here before that."

Scout.com rated Savaiinaea the No. 3 linebacker prospect in the country this year and several recruiting services had him in the Top 100 prospects overall.

"He’s got what you are looking for," said a Pac-12 coach who asked not to be identified because NCAA rules prohibit coaches from publicly discussing prospective recruits until after they have signed. "He could play for anybody."

But while Savaiinaea took top honors in the survey of coaches, Waianae defensive tackle Kennedy Tulimasealii also opened plenty of eyes. "His potential is huge," said a recruiter from a West Coast school.

Word is that the 6-2 300-pounder announced his intention to sign with UH on a Sunday and by Thursday suitors from 10 other schools had popped up on his doorstep.

Tulimasealii could be the marquee signing of a bumper local crop for UH, which already has commitments from three other Top 15 prospects and is battling Brigham Young for another, Kahuku running back Aofaga Wily, the state’s offensive player of the year.

Moanalua High tackle Scott Pagano was highly sought and could have been even more heavily courted after a strong showing at summer camps but made an early oral commitment to Clemson.

Likewise, Saint Louis receiver Jeremy Tabuyo committed early to Texas A&M, whose recruiter at the time, Brian Polian, had once been Notre Dame’s pointman on signing Te’o. Polian has since become the head coach at Nevada.

And Charlie Weis, Notre Dame’s head coach when Te’o signed, is now at Kansas, where Crusaders linebacker Colton Goeas, who had originally pledged to Tennessee before the Volunteers’ coaching shakeup, has made an oral commitment. Assistant coach Sam Pittman, who secured a commitment from Crusaders guard Reeve Koehler at Tennessee, moved to Arkansas, where Koehler has now pledged.