Zaydrius Rainey-Sale as Bethel High School's new football leader: 'I want to become the best'

One of the state's top class-of-2025 prospects at linebacker is often compared to another ex-Bison big hitter - Peter Latu

PARKLAND, Wash. - In a time-zone spin cycle from a whirlwind campus tour, Zaydrius Rainey-Sale was worn out when he came home Friday.

Nobody would have blamed him if he wanted a few days of recuperation, even if that meant bowing out of the Pacific Lutheran University 11-vs-11 Passing Tournament on Saturday.

That is not how Rainey-Sale rolls. And by the afternoon, he joined his teammates at Bethel High School for hours of padded-up competition against other schools from Washington.

"Football is. team sport. You’ve got to make time for your team," Rainey-Sale said. "If you want to be great, you have to have a great mind - and be coachable for everybody."

While the physical assets have greatly contributed to his blue-ribbon showings at offseason camps - Rainey-Sale is the No. 2 class-of-2025 prospect in Washington, according to 247Sports.com - it's also his mind and maturity that have made him a quick riser in the recruiting circles.

Over the past week, he visited a handful of Power 5 programs in Florida with FSP Sports teammates, and picked up offers from Florida State and Miami. He also has six offers from Pacific-12 Conference schools, including Oregon, Oregon State, UW and WSU.

"I knew he was a really, really good football player," first-year Bethel football coach Travis Domser said. "What I didn't know was that he was so smart and hard-working in the classroom. He's just a super smart kid.

"He's been awesome. When he's been away on these trips, he watches film and gets on Hudl and studies all of our installs."

Around the Bethel community, the one player comparison that keeps coming up for Rainey-Sale is former all-state defensive back Peter Latu.

Why? Both are big athletes (Latu was 6-4, 225; Rainey-Sale is 6-2, 215) who run - and smack ball carriers with unflinching authority.

"That is big bro," Rainey-Sale said.

Rainey-Sale said he first got to know the Latu brothers (Peter and Will) through the Parkland Raiders, the local youth tackle-football program.

"I was in fourth grade when they were seventh graders, and I'd see them go crazy (on the football field) and I was like, 'Damn!'" Rainey-Sale said. "Then we got closer and closer. Our parents became best friends."

The Latu brothers were set to play in college, but never really found their footing. Both are out of football right now.

"I want to learn off them and their mistakes and become greater," Rainey-Sale said. "I want to become the best."