Langi Tuifua to BYU: Cougars Land 4-Star DE Prospect

Langi Tuifua developed into one of the nation's premier defensive ends during his time at Bingham High School, and he announced Saturday that he'll be continuing his football journey with the BYU Cougars.

"They have the greatest coaches down there," Tuifua said on picking BYU, per Mitch Harper of 1320 KFAN. "It feels like family when I go down there."

The 4-star recruit was primarily chased by BYU and Utah, so the Cougars have to be thrilled he spurned their in-state rival. 

According to Scout's official rankings, Tuifua is the 263rd-ranked player overall in the class of 2017. However, he is the 23rd-ranked defensive end overall and the top-ranked defensive end in the state of Utah among his peers. 

"Tuifua is a big, rangy defensive end with the frame to put on a ton of weight," Scout's Greg Biggins wrote in his official analysis. "He's a strong, physical outside pass-rusher who comes off the edge and is a physical force."

But even though he held his own off the edge at the high school level, Tuifua will have to add weight in order to maximize his potential in college. 

Tuifua is listed at 6'3 ½" and just 215 pounds, and he'll need to bulk up with at least an additional 25 or 30 pounds if he wants to be able to bully collegiate offensive tackles. 

It helps that Tuifua has plus-burst to supplement his strong hands at the point of attack, but a little weight could go a long way when it comes to his long-term outlook. 

As a member of the Cougars, Tuifua will be a welcome addition to a defense that could use an injection of young, upside-laden pass-rushers. 

Although the Cougars posted 30 sacks as a team in 2016, that mark ranked tied for 40th among all FBS programs.

Expectations should be tempered for Tuifua as they are for most freshmen, but it's not crazy to think he could make an impact as a rotational edge-rusher during his first year with the program.  

So while Tuifua has the makings of a foundational piece along the defensive line, it should take a year or two before he's evolved into the kind of one-man wrecking crew who can operate as a tone-setter.