BYU football went to South Carolina to find its newest linebacker. A few weeks ago Ben Tuipulotu–the 6-foot-4 200 pound safety and wide receiver–became the 10th commitment for the Cougars class of 2018.
I’m so blessed to receive a scholarship from BYU and I have decided to verbally commit to the Y! #riseandshout pic.twitter.com/kav79NjrPC
— Benjamin Tuipulotu (@bentuipulotu) April 19, 2017
Tuipulotu preps at Nation Ford High School (Fort Mill, South Carolina), where as a sophomore (2015) he had 126 tackles, seven interceptions, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. As a junior (2016) he had 24 receptions for 259 yards and three touchdowns, 63 solo tackles, two tackles for loss, two interceptions, six passes defended, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble. While he currently plays receiver and safety he is planning to play outside linebacker for BYU.
Tuipulotu has still not been rated by Rivals, Scout or ESPN. His brother Hank is a 2016 BYU commit at tight end (currently serving an LDS mission in England) and his father Peter played fullback for BYU from 1987-91.
| Hometown: | Fort Mill, South Carolina | High School: | Nation Ford |
| Class: | 2018 | HT/WT: | 6’4”, 200 lbs. |
| Position: | Safety, Wide Receiver | 40 time: | |
| Profiles: | MaxPreps, HUDL | Bench/Squat: | |
| Twitter: | @bentuipulotu | Vertical: | |
| Offer date: | April 18, 2017 | Commit date: | April 18, 2017 |
| Rivals: |  (2 / 5) |
| Scout: | (2 / 5) |
| ESPN: | (2 / 5) |
| Average: | (2 / 5) |
BYU Insider caught up with Tuipulotu to ask him about his commitment:
BYU Insider: Why did you choose BYU?
Tuipulotu: Both my parents played there and I’ll have the opportunity to play with my brother again! The campus is also amazing, and watching a game in Lavell Edwards Stadium is an awesome experience. I look forward to being part of a team and being around the coaching staff.
BYU Insider: What other schools were showing you love in the recruiting process?
Tuipulotu: Presbyterian College, Clemson, NC State, Utah, and Stanford
BYU Insider: What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Tuipulotu: Look Unto me in every thought, doubt not, fear not!
BYU Insider: Who is a current player (collegiate or pro) that you seek to emulate on the field?
Tuipulotu: I always loved watching Kai Nacua and Fred Warner and would love to emulate them.
BYU Insider: What are your personal goals for this season (2017)?
Tuipulotu: I hope to get at least 7 interceptions on defense
BYU Insider: Anything else you’d like Cougarfans to know about you?
Tuipulotu: I played safety in high school but I’ll be moving down to play OLB for BYU!
If you have any additional information or insight about this recruit, please include it in the comment section below. For more about the BYU Football Class of 2018 Click Here.
