Malakai Taufoou commits to Oregon

San Mateo (Calif. ) Serra safety Malakai Taufoou is headed to the Big Ten. Taufoou announced his commitment to Oregon on Saturday on the Rivals’ YouTube Channel.

Oregon had the last in-home visit with Taufoou and rallied to beat hometown Cal , Washington , Penn State and BYU for the Polynesian Bowl selection. “The reason I chose the Ducks is because they were an amazing fit for my play style and the level of competition not only that they face but also in the room I feel would elevate me the most,” said Taufoou. The Duck coaching staff also played a pivotal role in his selection.

“After getting to know the coaches on my visit there and coach Hamp ( Chris Hampton ) coming to school and doing a home visit with him, he and coach ( Dan) Lanning constantly made me feel like a priority,” said Taufoou. The consistent communication from the coaches paid off. “I talk to at least one coach a day so it showed that they want me,” said Taufoou.

A visit to Eugene earlier this spring for an unofficial also tugged at Taufoou. “The spring visit definitely made this decision easy because after I went to their practice, I realized how real their level of competition is and all those dudes are trying to win,” said Taufoou.