Scout Look: Profile 808, Kuao Peihopa

At 6-feet-3 and 306 pounds, Kuao Peihopa went to a camp in Wisconsin as an offensive lineman. He left there high on Nebraska and Wisconsin’s defensive line wish list.

“I was doing O-Line drills and one of the coaches told me to try some D-line drills,” the Kamehameha, Hawaii, product said. “After the drill, coach told me I was a defensive lineman.”

Kuao has an athletic skill set that can play on both sides of the line. He is explosive off the snap and stays low allowing him to gain leverage.

When asked which one he would rather focus on, Peihopa said, “I can play either one really; as long as I am playing and helping the team, I don’t really care.”

GOD IS GOOD #808➡️206 pic.twitter.com/U9CR10xLTU
— Kuao Peihopa (@KuaoPeihopa) April 22, 2020

Anything can happen once the coaches get a player on campus. Yet since he is labeled as a defensive lineman, he has the tools to be a standout in one or two technique who will demand double teams.

The problem for opposing offensive linemen is dealing with his explosiveness off the snap.

“Just look at his film,” said Jake Grant, college football analyst with Husky Maven/Sports Illustrated. “He is too fast for the double team. He is gone by the time help arrives.”

On film, his first step pops, but Peihopa knows there is more explosion in him.

“My goal is to be even more explosive out of my stance,” he said while talking about what he wants to improve before he steps onto the Washington campus. "I am using a system called Movement Overspeed Resistance Reaction to enhance my game. I have been working on feeling every muscle in my lower half and getting them to work together so I can be even more explosive.”

Peihopa learns from watching many great defensive linemen, He considers Aaron Donald the best. He also works on being physical like Ndamukong Suh.

However, he does not stop with just D-linemen.

“I was watching Tyrann Mathieu before a game and he always tries to get his hands on the ball when he is making a tackle,” said Peihopa, who gave it a try the next time he was practiced. “When I was making a tackle, I tried to rip for the ball and it came out.”

Using an adaptive mindset with his athleticism makes Kuao Peihopa a valuable addition to the 2021 recruiting class.

As he awaits his final year of high school football, Peihopa eagerly look forward to the next chapter.

“I can’t wait to get on campus and just compete," he said. "I don’t care where I play, I just want to compete.”