UPDATED: 3-star Utah Defensive Lineman Voi Tunuufi Commits to Washington
Voi Tunuufi, a 6-foot-2, 280-pound defensive lineman from Salt Lake City, committed to the University of Washington over the weekend, giving the Huskies a second recruit from a defensive lineman in less than a week.
Tunuufi, from East High School, joined Hawaiian DT Kuao Peihopa in pledging to Jimmy Lake's team. He chose the Huskies over Michigan, Minnesota, Utah, Arizona State, and Arkansas.
The Huskies have done well recruiting in the Beehive State recently. The UW has reeled in receivers Puka Nacua and Ty Jones, linebacker MJ Tafisi and East's Jordan Lolohea and Sam Taimani -- the same school Tunuufi attends.
In Peihopa and Tunuufi, the Huskies have two of the top four defensive tackles in the West. USC has landed Jay Toia, leaving the rest of the conference to fight over the remaining uncommitted defensive tackle, Victory Vaka, from the Los Angeles area.
While Tunuufi is currently listed as a three-star defensive tackle, Husky Maven/Sports Illustrated's college recruiting analyst Trevor Mueller said Tunuufi's style of play is what the Huskies are looking for.
"Jimmy Lake said that he wants to be aggressive and Tunuufi is exactly that," Mueller said. "He runs downhill as quickly as anybody at the high school level."
Tunuufi gets after the quarterback with an array of moves.
"His first step scares offensive linemen into committing to blocking the edge," Mueller said, "Once he gets his man to commit to the outside, it makes his moves to the inside more effective, giving him a more direct path to the quarterback or ball-carrier."
Like Peihopa, Mueller doesn't expect Tunuufi to remain a three-star defensive tackle once the recruiting services complete a breakdown of the Salt Lake City native's tape.
"His quickness jumps off of the screen," Mueller said. "He arrives with bad intentions -- quickly."