UCLA Football Offers Class of 2025 Defensive Back Matai Tagoa'i
One of Nevada's top recruits is officially on the Bruins' radar.
Class of 2025 safety Matai Tagoa'i has earned an offer from UCLA football, the defensive back announced Friday on Twitter. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound prospect out of Faith Lutheran (NV) now has 18 FBS offers as his sophomore year comes to a close.
Tagoa'i has additional offers from Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, Colorado State, Georgia, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Penn State, San Diego State, Tennessee, Texas, UCF, UNLV, USC, Utah and Washington.
Tagoa'i took a gameday visit to USC in November, but he didn't start documenting unofficial visits until the winter. After going to UNLV in January, Tagoa'i went to Oklahoma, Arizona State, Arizona and UCF between late March and mid-April.
Last fall, Tagoa'i racked up 73 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, nine pass deflections, two fumble recoveries and an interception. That production helped Tagoa'i make the 2022 Nevada Preps All-Southern Nevada First Team.
On the other side of the ball, Tagoa'i caught seven passes for 103 yards.
Tagoa'i is a four-star recruit, according to 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and On3. In the 247Sports Composite, Tagoa'i is ranked as the No. 3 player in Nevada, the No. 11 safety in the country and the No. 151 overall prospect in his class.
Among defensive players in Nevada, Tagoa'i ranks No. 1. He is the No. 2 safety who goes to high school west of the Mississippi River.
Tagoa'i is the only top-four player in his state who doesn't go to Bishop Gorman (NV). Faith Lutheran did just send a player to the pros, though, with the Buffalo Bills taking Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft in April.
UCLA has now offered 11 players in the class of 2025, all of whom remain uncommitted. Seven of those prospects are from California, and now Nevada is the only other state the Bruins have gone to with multiple offers so far.
Follow Connon on Twitter at @SamConnon
Follow All Bruins on Twitter at @FN_AllBruins
Like All Bruins on Facebook at @FN.AllBruins
Subscribe to All Bruins on YouTube
Read more UCLA stories: UCLA Bruins on Sports Illustrated
Read more UCLA football stories: UCLA Football on Sports Illustrated
PHOTO COURTESY OF MATAI TAGOA'I/INSTAGRAM
