Californian Viliami Moala: A Future Faster Mt. Cody Type For Alabama?

Larry Burton (Panama City Beach, Fla.)

Last season when Vilaiami Moala and his Sacramento (Calif.) Grant team played a team in Washington his father couldn't make the trip, and it bothered the young man. He said after every tackle he'd look to find his father but realized he wasn't at the game.

Moala is one of the top defensive linemen in California.

Some think that may a big factor in his recruitment from Alabama, Florida, and other national programs but the question remains will he want to travel that far since his family won't be able to watch him every Saturday?

The schools in the PAC 10 certainly hope that's a reason he'll "Stay home".

"It can influence me. Every time I look in the stands that seat is empty. (referring to his father not being there) But maybe one day he can come and watch me."

However, he said this week that Nick Saban and the rest of the staff said that 13 of their 14 games were on television last year and that combined with the good vibes he got from everyone at Alabama, has put them clearly in the running .

At 6'3" and somewhere around 343 pounds, Vilami now plays defensive tackle and is a force in high school. He is like a man playing with boys, but Saban and others see him as the prototypical nose guard in systems like Alabama's 3-4 defense.

This is a move that Moala says he wouldn't mind making.

According to Scout.com, Moala is a compact run stuffing defensive tackle/nose guard, but his quickness off the ball allows him to be involved in making plays behind the line of scrimmage. He has the ability to be by a center before he's even gotten set after snapping the ball. Moala is a space eater inside, but his quickness makes him more than just a double team occupier; he can dictate the action in front of him

Moala can bench 495 pounds, which is rather impressive for a high school junior. But he is soon to hit 500, which, he says…”I’m super close. I try to add two 2.5 pounds to equal 500 but I can’t quite get it up. I get it half way but I can’t extend and lock out my elbows.”

"He's a huge kid with thick legs and impossible to move in the middle of a line," said ESPN RISE's Greg Biggins.

Interestingly, he goes by the nickname "Tiny".

The great thing about him is that he brings the same run stopping ability that Terrence Cody brought to Alabama, but with a much better pass rushing ability. There would be no real need to bring him out on third down situations.

"Alabama showed me the drills that they did and I've been practicing them and they do some of the drills we did out here. I had an upper-hand in some of these drills." Moala said.

The fact that Alabama have just signed another Californian with Samoan heritage, Isaac Luatua (of La Mirada, California) may also help.

Right now it is thought that Moala's top three are Cal, Washington, and Alabama, though there are many more actively recruiting him. USC was a potential top player, but it is now thought that the probations they've received have taken them from the top ranks.

"Every school out there has their advantages," Moala said. "I'm willing to travel the distance. It's going to be bad because my father can't watch me play but I'm willing to go."