BYU Football Among Finalists for Hawaii’s Top Recruit
BYU Football, Recruiting, Malakai Lee, Top Six…
PROVO, Utah – BYU football remains in contention for Hawaii’s top-ranked recruit in the 2026 class.
Offensive tackle Malakai Lee revealed his top six schools on Friday. The four-star talent is the No. 1 prospect in Hawaii and has narrowed his choices to some of the biggest names in college football.
BYU Football Lands in Malakai Lee’s Top Six
Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Texas, USC, and BYU made the final cut for Lee, a 6-foot-7, 310-pound standout from Kamehameha High School in Honolulu.
Several other programs extended offers but didn’t make the list. Schools such as Arizona, Miami, Nebraska, Oregon, Tennessee, UCF, and Utah were among those left out.
BYU’s coaching staff made a trip to Hawaii last month to visit Lee.
The elite lineman has already earned a spot in the 2026 Polynesian Bowl.
Ranked No. 145 nationally and the 12th-best offensive tackle in the 2026 class by the 247Sports Composite, Lee remains a highly sought-after recruit.
BYU football is coming off an impressive 11-2 season, finishing No. 13 in the AP Top 25 for 2024.
The program’s recent success in a power conference, along with its track record of developing NFL-caliber offensive linemen, could be a strong selling point for Lee.
After a 15-year stretch without an offensive lineman drafted from 2005 to 2020, BYU has produced multiple NFL players under head coach Kalani Sitake.
Brady Christensen, Blake Freeland, and Kingsley Suamataia were all selected in the last four drafts. The trend is expected to continue in April, with Caleb Etienne—a First Team All-Big 12 offensive tackle in 2024—likely to be the next Cougar drafted.
Currently, BYU football holds three commitments in its 2026 recruiting class.