The University of Hawaii football team has reloaded the trenches with a commitment from a two-way lineman from Salt Lake City, Utah.

In a decision announced on social media and confirmed by his head coach, Caden Hilborn of Highland High has accepted a scholarship offer from the Rainbow Warriors. Hilborn is expected to sign on Wednesday, the first day of the spring-semester signing period for football prospects.

“He’s been a three-year starter for us on both sides of the ball,” Highland coach Brody Benson told the Star-Advertiser. “He’s a big, physical kid. He’s almost 6-5. He played for us about 285 (pounds). He has a lot of natural ability. There are things he’s able to do on the field that are just basic instinct for the kid.”

Benson said Hilborn was used mostly as a nose tackle, although he was capable of playing all the positions in the Rams’ four-man front.

On offense, Hilborn split time between tight end and tackle. The Rams operated a run-oriented, triple-option offense.

“Our thought process in moving him (to tight end) was having a huge target out there,” Benson said.

An injury to a teammate prompted Hilborn’s move back to tackle. “Our offensive production really got a shot in the arm when that happened,” Benson said.

Benson recalled Hilborn’s development into a two-way lineman. “When we first started this process, we looked at him more as a defensive lineman. But through the process, the offensive side is going to be his strong suit. … He plays offensive line like a defensive lineman. He gets after people. He’s a phenomenal athlete.”

In team testing before the past summer, according to Benson, Hilborn squat lifted 495 pounds, dead lifted 465, ran 40 yards in 5.0 seconds, broad jumped 8 feet, 9 inches, and had a 31-inch vertical jump.

“He was a two-year captain for us, which is pretty rare for us to have juniors as captains two years ago,” Benson said.

Hilborn missed a couple games near the end of the season because of ailments. “He attacked it with a good mind-set,” Benson said. “He knows his best football is still to be played.”