Manutai makes late commitment to Baylor
The Baylor Bears football program has a late addition to the class of 2025 as they received a commitment on Tuesday from Saddleback College defensive lineman Aleki Manutai.
The Baylor Bears football program has a late addition to the class of 2025 as they received a commitment on Tuesday from Saddleback College defensive lineman Aleki Manutai.
Manutai was preparing to play his sophomore season at Saddleback as fall camp for the JUCO ranks out west opened on Monday. The sophomore from Santa Margarita Catholic High School has new plans as the Big 12 has come calling late in the recruiting process.
"Coach Inoke from Baylor football called me last night and offered me a spot over there and I ended up taking it," Manutai said.
Manutai was on the JCGridiron.com Preseason Defensive Tackle Watch List last month and was all set to be on one of the JCGridiron Preseason All-America Teams ready to hit the airwaves this week.
"I feel great about it," Manutai said. "It's all happening so fast."
Manutai is 6-foot-2 and 290 pounds. He will arrive in Waco with three years remaining eligibility.
Manutai is the 32nd commitment from the 2024 squad to a four-year institution. He finished with 14 tackles and 2.5 sacks in eight games last season.
Manutai Comments Below
2024 Team Commitments (in alphabetical order):
| Player | Position | New School | |
| Brennen Acosta | Defensive Line | Northern Colorado | |
| Enrique Amposta | Linebacker | Portland State | |
| Cade Baker | Wide Receiver | Utah State | |
| Dane Benedix | Wide Receiver | Louisiana Tech | |
| Ryan Bethke | Defensive Line | Hawaii | |
| Brayden Bockler | Tight End | Louisiana Tech | |
| Joseph Chavez | Defensive Back | Rice | |
| Will Craven | Wide Receiver | Sul Ross | |
| Broghan Daley | Wide Receiver | Pomona Pitzer | |
| Jackson Hagopian | Defensive Back | Central Washington | |
| Antoine Hardie | Linebacker | Arkansas-Pine Bluff | |
| Jayden Harrington | Defensive Back | Central Oklahoma | |
| Jackson Irwin | Linebacker | Idaho State | |
| Trey Kukuk | Quarterback | Louisiana Tech | |
| Andrez Lewis | Wide Receiver | East Texas A&M | |
| Joseph Malfavon | Linebacker | Jamestown | |
| Aleki Manutai | Defensive Line | Baylor | |
| Sean Olvera-Harle | Kicker | Hawaii | |
| Gannon Ostrander | Offensive Line | Houston Christian | |
| Eric Padilla | Defensive Line | Cornell College | |
| Josh Pikl | Tight End | East Texas A&M | |
| Gavin Rogers | Quarterback | Cal Lutheran | |
| Quinn Rosenkranz | Wide Receiver | Purdue | |
| Nick Sill | Defensive Line | Adams State | |
| Paris Smith | Offensive Line | Lenoir-Rhyne | |
| Dylan Sprague | Punter | Utah State | |
| Jason Swigger | Long Snapper | Idaho State | |
| Emil Ventura | Defensive Line | Adams State | |
| Jaden Williams | Defensive Line | San Diego | |
| Brody Windham | Defensive Back | Northern Illinois | |
| Breylon Wyatt | Defensive Back | Austin Peay | |
| Noah Yeh | Defensive Line | Fresno State |