The transfer portal has seen its share of kids from Hawaii in recent weeks.
On Tuesday, former Central Florida receiver Titus Mokiao-Atimalala announced he would enroll at UCLA for the upcoming season.
Mokiao-Atimalala, a 2021 Campbell High alumnus who had his senior season of high school wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic, appeared in 12 games as a true freshman for the Knights and caught 10 passes for 91 yards and a touchdown. He also returned three kickoffs and averaged 7.9 yards on his 12 punt returns.
Listed at 6 feet 1 and 175 pounds, Mokiao-Atimalala finished 85 yards shy of becoming the fourth high school player ever in Hawaii to surpass 3,000 career receiving yards and would have likely shattered the state’s career receiving record had he played an entire senior season.
He will join Punahou alums Sitiveni Havili-Kaufusi and Duke Clemens at UCLA, along with receiver Matt Sykes, a Saint Louis alum, and former University of Hawaii linebacker Darius Muasau, a Mililani graduate who entered the transfer portal after the season ended.
One of the more surprising transfers was former Washington State quarterback Jayden de Laura, who announced on Monday he would enroll at Arizona after earlier declaring he would enter the transfer portal.
The 2019 Honolulu Star-Advertiser All-State Offensive Player of the Year led the Pac-12 in passing yards (2,751) and passing touchdowns (23) and was named the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year.
The Saint Louis alumnus guided the Cougars to a bowl game and threw five touchdown passes against Washington to give the Cougars their first win in the Apple Cup since 2012.
Despite the success, de Laura will instead play at Arizona for a program that went 1-11 last season and is 1-23 over its past 24 games.
Earlier this month, former Mililani quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who decided to transfer from UCF and announced in December that he would attend UCLA, instead decided to enroll at Oklahoma.
Other players from Hawaii who have entered the transfer portal include former Washington State receiver Carter Kamana (‘Iolani), former Army kicker Quinn Maretzki (Punahou), former Washington State running back Peni Naulu (Kapolei) and former Virginia offensive lineman Micah Mariteragi (Kahuku).
