No. 4 LB Recruit in America Delivers Bad News to Three Elite College Football Programs

These three Power Four college football programs were snubbed in the recruitment of the No. 4 linebacker prospect in the 2027 class.

Dec 6, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; A view of a tv camera and the ESPN college football logo before the game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the BYU Cougars at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

College football prospects across the class of 2027 are nearing their commitments in early June of the 2026 offseason.

Most of these prospects are making their rounds on official visits to programs they are leaning toward in their recruitment. In some cases, prospects are committing to a school directly after visiting it.

One of the latest decisions in the cycle came from four-star linebacker Toa Satele, who committed to Oregon on Wednesday following an official visit the previous weekend. The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder from Mililani, Hawaii, ranks as the No. 4 linebacker, No. 1 prospect in Hawaii and No. 68 overall prospect in the class, per Rivals.

Greg Biggins of Rivals described Satele as a "versatile linebacker who has the ability to play multiple spots and could even grow into an edge in a few years" and a "fluid mover who can drop and cover runs well enough to make plays sideline to sideline" in a scouting report from April.

Satele also comes from an NFL pedigree. He is the son of offensive lineman Samson Satele, who played left tackle and center at Hawaii from 2002-06 before embarking on an eight-year NFL career as a center.

Oregon now holds 11 commitments from four-star prospects in its 2027 class with Satele's decision. Satele is one of two four-star linebackers committed to the Ducks; No. 29 overall linebacker Brandon Lockley Jr committed to Oregon on April 26.

With 32 programs extending Satele offers, the Ducks had to fight off competition around the country to secure Satele's commitment. Hayes Fawcett of Rivals reported that three other programs were in the mix for Satele before he committed to Oregon.

Texas

The Longhorns were the lone SEC program among Satele's finalists. Texas offered Satele his scholarship in May of 2025 and was scheduled to host him for an official visit on Friday.

Defensive end is the only defensive position group where the Longhorns have received commitments from prospects ranked as four-stars or higher. In-state linebacker Cade Haug committed to Texas on Feb. 2.

Notre Dame

Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman talks with quarterback CJ Carr (13) during the Blue-Gold game | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

The Fighting Irish extended their offer to Satele around the same time as Texas in May of 2025. Satele had an official visit lined up to Notre Dame for June 12.

Marcus Freeman's staff has attacked the recruiting trail in the months leading up to the summer, reeling in a nation-high 13 four-star prospects. The Fighting Irish received a commitment from four-star linebacker Amarri Irvin in late November of 2025.

California

The Golden Bears were the first of Satele's finalists to offer him a scholarship in January of 2025. Despite California's decision to make a coaching change following Satele's visit in late November, he maintained enough interest to schedule an official visit there for June 19.

Tosh Lupoi's first class at California currently holds pledges from six four-star prospects, but Satele could have been the Golden Bears' first four-star commit at linebacker under Lupoi. Three-star linebacker Gunnar Perry committed to California on Feb. 6.