73°F
weather icon Windy

NOTES: Bishop Gorman’s agile lineman Jacob Isaia sees recruiting stock rise

Jacob Isaia’s sport of choice growing up in Hawaii was volleyball.

The agility Isaia developed on the volleyball court has helped the Bishop Gorman offensive lineman become a top prospect on the football field in the class of 2018.

Isaia has logged 14 early scholarship offers and is attracting attention from schools nationwide this spring.

“I’m just happy that my family have been supporting me through this whole recruiting process,” Isaia said. “It’s been a really good time talking to a lot of coaches and listening to what every college has to offer.”

Isaia, who transferred from Iolani High in Honolulu last spring, started at right tackle for the Gaels last season as a junior and earned honorable mention all-state honors.

Isaia said he weighed 220 pounds when he arrived at Gorman and was listed at 6 feet 3 inches and 255 pounds during the season. Isaia weighed 272 pounds at The Opening in Los Angeles regional combine on March 12, when he posted the highest score among offensive linemen.

“I really dedicated this winter break to gain my weight,” Isaia said.

I made it to the finals of the Lineman Challenge at the Nike Regionals LA today. Thanks @TheOpening #GETOPEN #TheOpening pic.twitter.com/tYb43MIl5y

— Jacob Isaia (@JacobIsaia) March 13, 2017

Nike Opening Regionals LA pic.twitter.com/cTww8Zwp09

— Jacob Isaia (@JacobIsaia) March 19, 2017

Isaia made unofficial visits to Oregon and Oregon State last weekend and said he is scheduled to visit Vanderbilt this weekend. He also has trips to Cal and Colorado next month.

Isaia’s father, Sale, played at UCLA before enjoying a six-year NFL career as an offensive lineman. His grandfather Bob Apisa was voted one of the top 50 players in Michigan State history by the Lansing (Michigan) State Journal and is regarded as the godfather of the Hawaiian football pipeline to the mainland.

Isaia holds scholarship offers from both of those schools, and he was offered by Hawaii, Kansas State, Oregon State, Utah and Washington State in the past two weeks. UNLV offered Isaia two weeks ago.

Isaia, who is primarily being recruited as an offensive guard or center, plans to make his five official visits before making his college choice.

“I’m not going to commit early like some of my classmates,” Isaia said. “When I go to a college, the No. 1 thing is education. I want to go there and be able to prepare for life after football. And I really want to have a good connection with the coaches and the kids when I get there, too.”

RECENT COMMITMENTS 

■ Bishop Gorman senior Braxton Wehrle to South Mountain Community College (Arizona) for baseball.

■ Coral Academy senior Isaiah Spears to Washington University (Missouri) for men’s basketball.

■ Sierra Vista senior Calvin Aguirre to Peninsula College (Washington) for men’s soccer.

■ Centennial junior Ahmed Green to Utah Valley for men’s soccer.

Contact reporter David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST