Top Hawaii QB Sagapolutele commits to Cal
With Campbell’s Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele deciding to orally commit to California on Monday, the state’s No. 1 prospect in the class of 2025 from Hawaii is set to make history.
Sagapolutele joins Kapolei’s Liatama Amisone (San Jose State) and Mililani’s Kini McMillan (Washington) as seniors who have announced commitments to FBS schools. Assuming they all follow through and sign in December, it will be the first time three quarterbacks from the same high school class in the state of Hawaii will sign with FBS schools.
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Sagapolutele, a 6-foot-3 left-handed quarterback, chose Cal out of a final four list of offers that included Boise State, Oregon State and Utah State.
He made the announcement on a live broadcast on the 247 Sports YouTube page.
“It’s everything. They checked up all the boxes for sure,” Sagapolutele said of the decision. “The coaching staff is great. When I finally first got that offer, they were hard on me. They were a team that kept recruiting me. Their offensive is great. It’s a place I know I will develop.”
He recently competed in the finals of the Elite 11 quarterback competition and was the last player among the group to make a college commitment.
Sagapolutele is the second Hawaii player to commit to Cal after Kahuku defensive lineman LeBron Williams made his commitment to the Golden Bears in June.
Sagapolutele enters his senior season at Campbell ninth on Hawaii’s career passing yardage list with 7,244 yards and 67 touchdowns in 24 games. He is the only quarterback in state history to have multiple seasons of at least 3,450 passing yards.
He needs 2,605 yards to break the record held by current Oregon quarterback and Mililani alum Dillon Gabriel.
McMillan was the first of the three quarterbacks to make his college commitment in May, choosing the Huskies, who had also offered Sagapolutele.
McMillan led Mililani to an OIA championship and a berth in the state final last year. He threw for 3,159 yards and 39 touchdowns with five interceptions.
Amisone, who guided Kapolei to its first eight-win season last year since Taulia Tagovailoa led the Hurricanes to the state semifinals in 2016, threw for 2,501 yards and 33 touchdowns while rushing for 1,068 yards and 14 TDs. He gave his commitment to new Spartans head coach Ken Niumatalolo and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Craig Stutzmann — both UH alumni — about two weeks ago.
Sagapolutele is rated the No. 1 prospect in the state in the class of 2025 by 247 Sports. Saint Louis offensive lineman Houston Kaahaaina-Torres, who committed to Nebraska on Sunday, is ranked No. 2, with Kahuku’s Max Fonoimoana (Utah) at No. 3 and Punahou linebacker Ko’o Kia (Notre Dame) rated fourth.
Kahuku athlete Mana Carvalho and defensive back Aiden Manutai are the top two remaining uncommitted prospects from Hawaii. Both are expected to make their decisions public on Friday.
