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Offensive lineman Saia Mapakaitolo, a standout at nearby Bishop Alemany High School, said his college decision ultimately came down to a simple overriding factor.
"I'm ready to be a part of something big," as he put it.
And that's why he felt the time was right to announce the news Friday that he has committed to USC, choosing the Trojans over Arizona State, UCLA and Utah in the end.
With that, Mapakaitolo adds to an already intriguing 2021 offensive line class for USC, which also holds commitments from 3-star OT Mason Murphy (JSerra HS) and 3-star OG Maximus Gibbs (St. John Bosco HS).
More to the point, Mapakaitolo is the 13th overall commit for a Trojans class that already ranked No. 4 nationally in the 2021 Rivals recruiting rankings.
RELATED: Commitment Analysis: Full scouting report on newest USC OL commit Saia Mapakaitolo
Speaking to TrojanSports.com, Mapakaitolo said he's built strong relationships with USC offensive line coach Tim Drevno and graduate assistant Viane Talamaivao and that vibe he got from the coaching staff overall really left an impression on him. As did the program's rich history.
"I like the tradition they have," he said.
Mapakaitolo, listed at 6-foot-5, 280 pounds, expects to come in as an offensive tackle.
"It’s going to be work. I know I need to gain more weight," he added.
Offered by USC back in January, his recruitment developed quickly -- which has been a theme for the Trojans in this 2021 class. The new defensive staff has delivered immediate results in landing a handful of 4-star commits already, while the offensive staff has certainly kept pace.
While the Trojans signed six offensive linemen in the 2020 class, they have continued to make the position a priority in this cycle and it's expected that they will ultimately end up taking four or five offensive linemen depending on who else they're able to land.
And across the board, USC has continued to have some of the best recruiting momentum in the country, receiving 10 commitments since March 11 despite not being able to host or visit recruits with the ongoing restrictions brought on by this coronavirus pandemic.
So far, this Trojans class features a pair of top 25 nationally-ranked prospects in 4-star WR Quaydarius Davis (Dallas, Texas) and 4-star QB Jake Garcia (La Habra HS), another 4-star top-100 prospect in OLB Ma'a Gaoteote (St. John Bosco HS), fellow 4-star Rivals250 prospects in ATH/LB Julien Simon (Tacoma, Wash.), S Calen Bullock (Muir HS), RB Brandon Campbell (Houston, Texas), S Anthony Beavers (Narbonne HS) and S Xamarion Gordon (Warren HS), along with 4-star DT Jay Toia (Grace Brethren HS), 3-star DE Colin Mobley (Baltimore, Md.), and 3-star OL Murphy and Gibbs.
Mapakaitolo didn't grow up a USC fan -- his interest really resonated from the message the staff is selling and the success that recruiting success the program has had the last couple months.
"I’m just ready to be a part of this something big," he reiterated.
