The next great (lefty) QB from Hawaii: Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele​ hopes to cash in on Elite 11 Finals invite

Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele is ready to carry the torch.

After watching Tua Tagovailoa rack up trophies at Alabama on his way to the NFL and closely studying Dillon Gabriel as he racked up thousands of passing yards, first at UCF and then at Oklahoma on his way to Oregon, Hawaii State’s next star left-handed quarterback intends to follow his example.

Sagapolutele (pronounced: SANG-ah-poh-lu-tele) is a three-star prospect from Ewa Beach (Hawaii) Campbell and is one of only two uncommitted signal callers with a ticket to the prestigious Elite 11 Finals in Los Angeles next month. Although he doesn’t hold any scholarships from schools east of Denver, Sagapolutele is ranked No. 1 among Aloha State players for the class of 2025, No. 26 nationally among quarterbacks, per 247Sports, and is headed to the major summer event brimming with confidence.

“Coming from Hawaii, we don’t always have these opportunities to be among the select few,” Sagapolutele said. “The Elite 11 Finals is a huge platform. That’s it and I really want to prove that I’m one of the best. I believe I am and I hope I can show the amount of work I’ve put in.”

There’s a reason Sagapolutele’s self-confidence is high — the 6-foot-2, 200-pound gunslinger has passed for more than 7,200 yards and 68 touchdowns since the start of his sophomore year. If those numbers suggest the sport has been easy for Sagapolutele, consider that his preparation for Friday nights began when coaches allowed him to play against high school students as early as fifth grade.

Even when his older brother, John, was making noise as a freshman on the varsity team at the renowned Punahou School on his way to signing with the hometown Rainbow Warriors, there was already significant buzz surrounding Jaron and how the promising lefty had something special. in your game. .

“Hawaii is so small that growing up you’re always on the lookout for the guys in front of you and the guys behind you,” said Gabriel, who was Hawaii’s Gatorade Player of the Year for the 2018 season. for that now, Jaron has everything you want. From a physical standpoint, he’s taller than me and Tua, and he can shoot so well. You look at the person and you’ve got a genuine, authentic kid from the islands. that it’s all about family. Who wouldn’t want a guy like that on their show?”

Campbell coach Darren Johnson argues his star player would have a bigger national profile and more suitors if he played high school on the mainland. It’s a hurdle many others have faced, including Gabriel, who didn’t see his stock soar until close to signing day, when the likes of Georgia and USC made a late charge.

“It’s a big enough accomplishment to have other people recognize it this far,” Johnson said. “We know he can play, but college coaches just need to see him. He’ll get more offers. We know that’s going to happen because he’s going to get attention.”

Tagovailoa, a former five-star who received a slew of blue-blood offers, also had to take advantage of the initial opportunity when recruiters flocked to Honolulu to watch him play.

“During our process, recruiting was more word of mouth and schools didn’t travel to the islands as much,” said Tagovailoa’s father, Galu. “We had the Rich Miano camp at the University of Hawaii and a lot of big schools came up, but one of the reasons Tua got noticed was because Marcus Mariota was doing really well in college. school where Marcus came from, which may be as good or even better than Marcus. That’s how things turned out now, but Jaron also has special qualities. I saw him throw the ball last year. it just comes out of his hand.”

Tagovailoa won MVP honors in the Elite 11 Finals in 2016. Johnson said he hopes the same stage can highlight Sagapolutele’s skills ahead of what should be a pivotal point in his recruitment. Only Utah State (May 31), Oregon State (June 7) and Boise State (June 13) have so far blocked Sagapolutele from official visits. Colorado has also offered, while Oregon and USC are two teams with quarterback commitments in the 2025 class that have expressed interest in recent weeks.

The momentum continued to simmer this spring. Earlier this month, Sagapolutele traveled to Las Vegas, where he was named Alpha Dog in the Elite 11 RegionI. His performance there ended up earning him a spot in the finals.

“It’s just a natural talent for Jaron,” said Campbell offensive coordinator Leon Cordeiro, father of former UH and San Jose State quarterback and recent Seattle Seahawks free agent signing Chevan Cordeiro. “Most East Coast schools don’t come here, and honestly, Jaron is better than most of the quarterbacks committed to those East Coast schools. Dillon was the same way and didn’t receive many offers until late in the process. He still has a lot to work on – his footwork can improve, in terms of scheme, he can improve at reading defenses – but his arm talent is special, wait until you see what he develops into in a few years.

The distance between Hawaii and the contiguous United States, of course, is the most deterrent obstacle to potential recruits. Social media and the increased use of video have eliminated some obstacles, but it is still difficult for a college coach to offer a player without seeing him in person. And unless a prospect travels across the Pacific to events that college coaches will attend, there may only be one chance a year to make that lasting impression.

“Manti Te’o, DeForest Buckner and Marcus Mariota kind of started it for us in Hawaii and helped a bunch of other guys get looks,” Gabriel said. “Over the last 10 years, we’ve really seen it grow. Colleges are no longer just going to the Islands for defensive linemen, offensive linemen and linebackers. It’s also about skill positions, so defensive backs can definitely make an impact on the raffle exhibition.

Gabriel will serve as a college advisor for the Elite 11 finals and looks forward to interacting with the competitors. He realizes the influence he could have on the future of the role, even if it means his name will eventually be erased from some record books.

“Jaron will probably break all my high school stats,” Gabriel said with a laugh. “Watching Tua do what he did gave me the energy that I could do it too. I beat Tua’s records and Jaron is the next guy. I still watch Hawaii football on Fridays and the important thing for me is to be able to inspire Jaron and others like Kini McMillan at Mililani, just as Marcus inspired me, just as I was able to learn from McKenzie Milton in both high school and college.

And so, in less than three weeks, an inspired Sagapolutele will pass through the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport terminal to board his flight to LAX with a single motivation.

“I will be locked in,” Sagapolutele said, “with the mentality of winning it all, to show that Hawaii can compete with the mainland, just as others have done before me.”

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