The Two Kahuka, Hawaii Cousins Making Westwood Their Home

On June 21, the UCLA Bruins received a commitment from a set of cousins who consider each other brothers — Malaki Soliai-Tui and Madden Soliai.

They’re a pair of three-star defenders from Kahuku, Hawaii, who each bring something different to the field. Both recently headlined the Under Armour Next All-American Game that took place in Maui, with Madden taking home the DB MVP.

Madden brings a dynamic to the game that coaches crave. He runs at you like a heat-seeking missile, welcoming any and all kinds of contact. Given his size and frame, along with his physicality, he has shades of the mentality that Earl Thomas played with — hit anything and everything, and do it at 100 mph.

While he may not be a Thomas-like player in talent or ranking (yet), the way he plays the game makes it seem like he's studied a lot of that tape.

The way he sticks to receivers is imposing, as he hardly lets anyone get past arm’s length. That kind of stickiness is a rare trait at the high school level.

Can he carry that over to the college game? As a three-star, the odds are against him. But his motor, mindset, and ceiling could help him rise. There’s always a path for a player like him to boost his stock and earn his way into a starting role.

Malaki is a bit of a different smoke. While he possesses the same type of island-born physicality as his cousin, he’s listed as a linebacker.

With a 6-foot-1 build and a 205-pound frame, he has the attributes to be a legitimate safety. He’s got real speed and can catch up to opponents after they've created separation, and he's not afraid to lay the wood.

It’s really about growing into his body, which is the biggest hurdle — and likely the reason he’s a three-star recruit. The tools are there, but his frame hasn’t quite caught up to his playstyle. That’s something that can be developed once he’s on campus with strength training and the right conditioning program.

The best thing about Malaki, though, is that you can stick him in any type of situation. He’s an adaptable player — someone coaches love because they know they can rely on him. And since he has an infinite amount of speed, you can use him as a spy and make the opposing quarterback second-guess where he’ll throw it.

UCLA’s passing defense was abysmal last season — targeted 14th-most in passing attempts, ranked 98th in passing yards allowed, and 108th in opponent completion percentage.

So the fact that these two players — albeit three-stars — are coming in is a massive help to a defense that seemed to lose its way early in the season.

In a never-ending quest to improve the defense, the two cousins who act like they’re brothers may be fixtures in building UCLA’s defense the right way.

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