Washington football lands an athletic trench Dawg

Woof!! After almost three months since their last commitment, Washington football landed their third recruit of the 2021 class

Washington football didn’t take any true defensive linemen during the 2020 recruiting cycle, and they landed their first for the class of 2021 in Kuao Peihopa, out of Kamehameha (Hawaii). His school has strong ties to Washington, as it’s the alma mater of his lead recruiter and defensive line coach, Ikaika Malloe.

At 6’3, 306 pounds, has great size for an interior defensive lineman… if that’s what he plays at Washington. Rumors have been swirling that Peihopa is being recruited to play along the offensive line, most likely at guard, which wouldn’t be too much of an adjustment for him, as he also plays there for Kamehameha.

No matter which side of the line he ends up playing, the Huskies are getting an athletic big guy with incredible feet. On defense, he uses his first step to blow by defenders as soon as the ball is snapped. His natural quickness at his size might remind fans of Levi Onwuzurike, who has a very similar bounce off the snap. That first step is displayed best when he lines up on the edge and blows by offensive tackles, which is incredibly rare from any defensive tackle.

Peiopha has an impressive motor for an interior lineman, and shows a keen ability to track down ball carriers from behind on screens or when a quarterback is trying to escape the pocket.

Watching him play along the offensive line, only one word comes to mind: nasty. Peiopha plays with an edge that just makes his hand placement and natural power look even better. With his athleticism and size he would be an excellent interior offensive lineman. He probably won’t pancake nearly as many guys at the college level as he does in high school, but his mean streak is comparable to 2020 offensive tackle signee Roger Rosengarten, and asking any defensive lineman to go up against the two of them would be a nightmare.

Who’s next?

The most important part of this commitment is that Peiopha has gotten the ball rolling again. The importance of the 2021 class can’t be stressed enough, and getting guys like him in the boat will entice others to follow suit. There are a lot of high profile targets out there for the Huskies, and keeping the ball rolling might end up with more players linking up sooner rather than later.

Congratulations to Kuao on his commitment, and we can’t wait to see him play in purple and gold!!