Analyzing Arizona commit Myles Tapusoa

The Arizona Wildcats have landed yet another defensive lineman for the 2019 recruiting class, former Houston commit and junior college defensive tackle Myles Tapusoa.

Our original story can be found here, and below is more in-depth analysis on Tapusoa from Brandon Combs and Gabe Encinas.

Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 335 pounds

School/Hometown: Eastern Arizona College/Salt Lake City, Utah

Offers: Houston, Idaho, New Mexico, Oregon, Oregon State, South Alabama

Rankings (JUCO): No. 51 overall, No. 7 defensive tackle, No. 8 player in Utah

Analysis

Brandon Combs: This was a commitment Gabe and I were waiting for. He is someone the staff knows they need along the defensive line.

Tapusoa is a bulldog. He plays aggressive and has a great motor. He plays with great pad level, and that coupled with his strength and explosiveness, allow him to be a disruptive force.

Think about this...Myles Tapusoa and P.J. Johnson on the defensive interior with Jalen Harris and J.B. Brown on the outside. Tell me that doesn’t sound like a recipe for success. Both guys on the interior are big, aggressive, and athletic. Add the speed and high motor from Harris and Brown and you have a defensive line of which has not been seen for many moons in Tucson.

Tapusoa has recently picked up an offer from Oregon. That being said, I do not believe Tapusoa wavers in his commitment to UA. Defensive line coach Iona Uiagalelei has a very close relationship with him and that can’t be overlooked. It is that relationship, plus the impact the staff and environment made on him during his visit, I believe he will stick with the ‘Cats.

Gabe Encinas: I absolutely love this pick. At the time of his commitment I thought this was an absolute steal out of Eastern Arizona, only for him to land an Oregon offer a week later.

He brings a rare combination with terrific size at 6-foot-3, 335 pounds, a relentless motor and a lot of power. I think he is the most complete player out of all 17 commitments for Arizona.

I like the direction the staff is going on the defensive line with Trevon Mason and Tapusoa. Rodriguez had no luck on the defensive line when it came to the JUCO ranks, and wasn’t around long enough to see his only success, PJ Johnson.

Tapusoa reminds me a lot of Johnson, and I think he can be just as productive if not better than the Bay Area JUCO product. I’d say that’s high praise given the season we had from Johnson.

I have no idea how much that Oregon offer means for him, but I sure hope that Arizona can keep him. Arizona’s class is practically finished and secured it seems at this point, so this is a high priority for the staff to hold for just a few more weeks.