As the recruiting buzz around Rashaun Lavata’i keeps getting louder, the Curtis High School offensive tackle says his answer hasn’t changed.
The 6-foot-7, 290-pound Washington State verbal commit said Wednesday that bigger FBS programs are still reaching out, even after he pledged to the Cougars in June. Lavata’i said he’s hearing from as many as eight FBS schools.
“For sure, the higher schools hit me up and keep in contact with me, just making sure they know the place I am going is right for me,” Lavata’i said during a break from high school practice Wednesday.
He added, “I know more will come soon, for sure, as I shoot higher up the rankings.”
Still, Lavata’i said his commitment to Washington State is solid. The highest-rated prospect in WSU’s 2027 class had also taken visits to Utah, Oregon State and Washington last spring, but he said the promise he made to the Cougars carries weight.
“I gave my word (to WSU),” Lavata’i said. “And I stay truthful to my word.”
That connection with WSU started on Jan. 22, when offensive line coach Jack Abercrombie came to Curtis for an in-person visit. Abercrombie had arrived at Washington State from Missouri with Kirby Moore, who was hired as the Cougars’ next coach in December.
Lavata’i said the meeting made an immediate impression.
“As soon as I walked into the weight room, (Abercrombie) was there and waiting,” Lavata’i said. “It was like a whole different feeling I got - just a whole lot of love. And it’s a good relationship we’ve continued to build from that day on.”
At that point, Lavata’i was listed at 6-5 and 265 pounds. He was already athletic and bouncy for his size, but he was still developing.
Since then, he has added nearly three inches and “30 pounds of good weight.” His stock also climbed after he was named the overall offensive-line most valuable performer at the AveryStrong College Showcase in June at the University of Puget Sound, which helped put him on the radar of “Power Four” schools.
Even with the new attention, Lavata’i stayed at Curtis for his senior year so he could line up alongside his younger brother, Rocco, who is also a lineman.
“I get to play with this little guy,” Lavata’i said, “and show hm the ways.”
Lavata’i said his only confirmed trip to see Washington State in Pullman this fall is for the Cougars’ homecoming game on Oct. 24 against Boise State.
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