University Place (Wash.) Curtis offensive tackle Rashaun Lavata’i is staying in-state.
The four-star tackle announced his commitment to Washington State, in a stunner.
The Cougs outlasted a late pursuit by Washington and official visits to Utah and Oregon State in the last week.
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“The relationships, since day one, they’ve been connected with me and checking in on me,” said Lavata’i. “They knew about the academics and had a plan.”
And the relationships made the biggest difference in the pursuit, giving the Cougs the highest-rated Group of Six commit in the class of 2027 to date.
“They’ve be honest with him and they’ve always been straight with him,” said Lavata’i’s father, Robby. “They’ve been with him since day one.”
The Huskies really turned up the heat after his Overall MVP performance at this month’s AveryStrong College Showcase at the University of Puget Sound and had him for a midweek visit, while Utah and Oregon State had both been mainstays in his recruitment.
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Meanwhile, the Cougs continued to marinate behind the scenes.
“They showed genuine love all the way around and building that longest relationship,” said Lavata’i. “They continued to push and work with me, to get me to where I need to be and the plan for my senior year. The turning point, it just came (on Monday). Through my heart and prayers as well, and talking with God, really, Wazzu felt right.”
He took his official visit to Washington State to end May, then took a visit to Utah last weekend, Washington during the week and then Oregon State this past weekend.
But the Cougs just laid low, the relationships he built with offensive line coach Jack Abercrombie and assistant offensive line coach Josh Taufalele as well as head coach Kirby Moore, winning out over their Apple Cup rivals, another Pac-12 program and a Big 12 school.
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“Coach Ab and coach T have been on me since the beginning, then coach Kirby came on heavy,” said Lavata’i. “I called them. And at first they didn’t hear me. I said it again, I said I was committed. Then they were yelling and barking and it was crazy. It showed genuine love.”
In landing him, the Cougs grab the No. 2 prospect in the state according to Rivals, and a four-star, giving them easily the biggest commitment for Moore since taking over on the Palouse, along with the first four-star to commit to Moore since his hiring.
Now he’ll play his senior season without the weight of his recruitment hanging.
“I can just focus on academics, and it just eases my mind off everything else and work on my craft as well,” said Lavata’i.
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He ranks as the No. 118 overall player nationally in 2027 by Rivals and the No. 9 offensive tackle in the class.
Lavata’i, who was the OL MVP at the Under Armour Next Camp in Phoenix, has also been selected to play in the 2027 Polynesian Bowl in Honolulu.
