BREAKING: Bruins Lose 3-Star DL Lopeti Moala to BYU

Orem (Utah) three-star defensive lineman Lopeti Moala announced his commitment to BYU just a couple days after including UCLA in his top-4 schools. This is the third recruiting battle the Bruins have lost to close out and otherwise stellar June.

"Thank you to all the coaches and schools who offered me. After talks with my parents, personal prayer and careful consideration. I have decided to commit to Brigham Young University!" Moala said in an X (formerly Twitter) post Monday.

Thank you to all the coaches and schools who offered me. After talks with my parents, personal prayer and careful consideration. I have decided to commit to Brigham Young University! @BYUfootball @OremHSFootball @Battleborn77584 @VictorUnga @BrandonHuffman @BlairAngulo pic.twitter.com/qLRWKgv7Gj
— 3⭐️ Lopeti Matai’tini Moala Jr (@LopetiMoala07) June 30, 2025

It's becoming regular to see the Bruins in contention for many of the nation's top recruits for the class of 2026. However, DeShaun Foster and UCLA have been on a bit of a cold streak recently, losing the commitments of twin wide receivers Jaron and Kennan Pula and being ousted in battles for four-star quarterback Oscar Rios to Arizona and three-star defensive back Dylan Waters to Utah.

Nonetheless, UCLA has still landed 15 commitments in June alone and are slated to be close to more heading into July.

Foster has been able to acquire recruits all trail from across the country, including his highest rated recruits, Johnnie Jones and Micah Smith, all the way from Florida. Despite Moala opting for his in-state school, Foster seemed like the only one capable of swaying him.

Here's how UteZone reporter Sammy Mora evaluated Moala ahead of his official visit with Utah in late may:

"Moala measures 6'4" and 250 pounds currently. He will need to put on some weight to be able to be effective at the next level. He has the ability to play either on the EDGE or as an interior lineman during his college career. Moala is rated an 87 by 247Sports which makes him a three-star prospect. His composite ranking is slightly lower at 0.8650. Moala is the 12th-best player in the state of Utah for the class of 2026 and the 96th-ranked defensive lineman in this class as well.

"Moala is long and disruptive. Sheds off tackles quickly and can get into the backfield and gets leverage easily on offensive tackles. He is a solid tackler. He is going to need to fine-tune his pass rush as sometimes he gets lost in the wash. Not the fastest guy on the field but will do everything he can to make a play."

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