Kekua Aumua Stands To Be Largest UW TE Over Past Decade

Every couple of spring practices in April, the University of Washington football team put yet another gifted freshman on display, providing further evidence it had pulled together one of its finest recruiting classes in some time.

Offensive tackle Kodi Greene and defensive tackle Derek Colman-Brusa became immediate starters.

Hard to block, edge rusher Ramzak Fruean proved to be an instant playmaker.

Running back Ansu Sanoe, with his punishing 6-foot-2, 241-pound physique, was an intimidating presence with the ball in his hands, while 5-foot-11, 196-pound Brian Bonner Jr. showed off his quickness.

Cornerback Ksani Jiles intercepted a pass in the very first April practice.

Freshmen, one and all, stepping up.

Yet another first-year player who brought attention to himself was Kekua Aumua, who rightfully so is nicknamed "Rhino" though he comes with that rhyming and lyrically pleasing given name that sounds like this -- Kah-Koo-Ah Ah-Moo-Ah.

At 6-foot-5 and 266 pounds, Aumua stands to be the largest Husky tight end in a decade since Will Dissly converted from defensive tackle to the offensive side of the ball in 2016 and played at 6-foot-4 and 267 pounds on his way to the NFL.

"He's not a small human being," tight-ends coach Jordan Paopao said of his hefty freshman. "Rhino is incredible. He's exactly what you want him to look like."

Kekua Aumua stands in line during a tight end drill in spring ball. | Dave Sizer photo

This is one in a series of articles -- going from 0 to 99 on the UW roster -- examining what each scholarship player and leading walk-on did in spring practice and what to expect from them going into fall camp.

After growing up in Japan and Hawaii, the well-traveled Aumua played as a high school junior for IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, before finishing up at Kahuku High on Oahu. He initially committed to the University of Florida, yet he flipped to the Huskies late in the process.

During spring ball, he stuck out right away as this huge tight end who ran smooth routes, moving around well for someone his size.

Kekua Aumua pulls in spring pass in Husky Stadium. | Dave Sizer photo

Aumua caught his first spring pass in the fourth practice, pulling in a 15-yard pass from Stanford transfer Elijah Brown in the 11-on-11 team competition.

He later caught a pair of 10-yard passes from Brown and 4- and 10-yard throws from redshirt freshman Dash Beierly.

The challenge for Aumua, as well as fellow freshman tight end Sam Vyhidal, was to be able to bounce back from periodic rookie learning experiences and he seemed to do that.

"It's really about how you fight through frustration, how you fight through a little bit of failure and how you fight through a lot of missed assignments, and then come back the next day with a neutral mindset and be able to really attack the next day," Paopao said of the two first-year tight ends. "I think those guys continue to work."

For Aumua, he has a full complement of football skills, including soft hands, plus he showed up with that fully developed body.

"That's what I see from Rhino is an incredible catching radius," Paopao said. "And he's not a small individual."

What he's done: Aumua made himself noticeable even with a full complement of veteran tight ends in Decker DeGraaf, Baron Naone, Austin Simmons and Charlie Crowell vying for steady spring reps.

Starter or not: With his size and hands, Aumua certainly looks like starting material for the Huskies at some point, maybe by 2028.

Add us as a preferred source on Google