The Texas Longhorns, and specifically offensive line coach Herb Hand, received some considerably good news on Thursday when football recruiting assistant Jake Langi revealed that offensive line signee Junior Angilau is enrolled and on campus:
Welcome home, @junior_angilau .#EsUp #ThisIsTexas #HookEm pic.twitter.com/JJFYjc9IWB
— Jake Langi (@jakelangi) June 7, 2018
Rather than taking a two-year mission trip for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the consensus four-star prospect decided to delay his mission and play for the Longhorns, adding further depth and talent to an offensive line in need of both.
The top-ranked 2018 offensive line addition for Texas, the Salt Lake City (Utah) East product provides the Longhorns with a versatile interior presence who could potentially play tackle or guard and has also played along the defensive line a bit, as well. Although Angilau is listed as a tackle, he primarily played guard in high school, which is likely where he will remain in Austin as a bullish run blocker.
Since signing with the Longhorns during the early Signing Period, Angilau has climbed 30 spots in the 247Sports Composite rankings, as he arrives at Texas as the No. 125 player in his class.
Burnt Orange Nation’s Wescott Eberts provided some insight on what Angilau, a former U.S. Army All-American, brings to the table:
At 6’6 and around 300 pounds, Angilau has the physical attributes of a tackle, including excellent quickness. He’s at his best when on the move, pulling across the formation or working to the second level. However, it’s not clear from his highlights whether he pass protects much — he may need some time to develop in that area even if he ends up at guard.
Also a defensive tackle, Angilau knows how to use his hands to create separation and can play half a man to exploit gaps — it’s on this side of the ball that his shows his upside as a technician.
In delaying his LDS mission trip and enrolling at Texas, Angilau serves as the headliner of the five-man 2018 offensive line haul, which also includes JUCO early enrollee tackle Mikey Grandy, four-star tackles Reese Moore and Rafiti Ghirmai, and three-star tackle Christian Jones.