Illinois Football 2026 Scouting Report: Guard Maika Matelau

Matelau appears to have the maturity and raw ability to deliver in his first season in Champaign, and he could be a true gem if he develops quickly

Sep 6, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema during the third quarter against the Duke Blue Devils at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Illinois on SI is delivering scouting reports for each of the key players on the Illini football team's 2026 roster. Below, we present our breakdown of sophomore offensive lineman Maika Matelau. We will add more as other on-field contributors emerge during the season.

Maika Matelau | Guard | Sophomore | No. 70

Hometown: Ontario, California

High school: Upland (California)

Transfer school: Mt. San Antonio College

Height: 6-foot-3

Weight: 305 pounds

Scouting report

Matelau is a mature, physical mauler who is at his best on straight-ahead blocks and anytime he can make contact and lock his hands on a defender. A 22-year-old sophomore (he missed two years of football while serving his LDS mission in Tonga, where his parents are from), Matelau is the rare physically developed athlete who still has plenty of upside to soak up football knowledge and hone his technique.

A right tackle at Mt. San Antonio College, Matelau had hoped to play on the edge at Illinois, but guard was a greater need for the Illini. It could amount to a win-win for both parties. Matelau has the power to move big interior defensive linemen, but he has good mobility for a guard. He excels on pull blocks and has the feet to get to the next level in the run game and pick up blitzers in pass pro.

Experience

Matelau was a three-star high school recruit coming out of Upland, joining Mt. San Antonio College in 2025 after completing his mission. He had to rebuild his body (he reportedly lost 100 pounds in Tonga), but Matelau quickly regained his footing – and then some. He was a key to the Mounties' 10-2 season, after which he was named by 247Sports the No. 1 interior lineman and No. 16 overall player in the JUCO ranks. He turned away more than a dozen Division I offers – including those from Big Ten schools Michigan State, Nebraska and Wisconsin – to attend Illinois.

Media highlights

What they're saying

Maika Matelau on the attraction of Illinois and coach Bret Bielema, who has a track record of sending offensive linemen into the pros:

"That was a big thing, just coming on my visit, seeing his track record with a lot of NFL linemen. I think it was something big in my recruiting process, and it helped me choose the University of Illinois."

2026 outlook

Matelau is the frontrunner to start at left guard for Illinois, which speaks volumes about raw ability given that he has played just one season of football – at the JUCO level – since high school. If he's able to quickly absorb the Illini offense and adjust to Big Ten competition, he could be an excellent addition to the front five in 2026 and, depending on if and how quickly the NFL comes calling, and an impact player for another couple years in Champaign.