One of the strongest high school players in the country, Timpanogos defensive lineman Isley Filiaga, will sign to play at BYU on Feb. 4.
Filiaga, a 6-0, 280-pound nose guard, said he chose the Cougars over Utah, Utah State and Southern Utah after receiving scholarship offers from other schools he did not visit (Boise State, Arizona, Nebraska and UCLA).
"It came down to being able to be with my dad, who is an assistant conditioning coach at BYU and works with Jay Omer," Isley said Sunday following a weekend BYU campus visit.
Isley caught attention of recruiters nationwide two years ago when, as a 15-year-old, he did 41 repetitions of the 185-pound lift at a Nike Combine Camp at the University of California. That figure blew away the competition in the camp. This past May, just a few days after turning 17, he did 45 repetitions of the 185 lift at a Nike camp. The closest high school player to Filiaga managed 32.
Isley recently tried the 225-pound lift used by college players at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis each February and hoisted that 36 times. That would place him among the top lifters among college prospects next month in Indianapolis.
"It's all just from hard work and my genes from my father," Isley said. His father, Tui, is his biggest fan and weight room inspiration. "I don't take any supplements at all."
When Filiaga, the nephew of former BYU defensive tackle Junior Filiaga, started playing football, his goal was just to earn a scholarship. "I just wanted one." But after he posted his camp figures in weight lifting he received letters from 29 schools and had nine scholarship offers.
"It's all been fun. I never thought at the time that I would have this many options," Isley said.
Jordan Reever, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound quarterback from South Garland High in Texas said over the weekend he will take trips to Nebraska and defending champion LSU before making a decision on where he'll sign. Reever was recently offered by the Cougars and is waiting for offers from the Huskers and Tigers.
"I like BYU and they are at the top of my list, but I need to take these trips before deciding where to go," Reever said.
Reever's teammate, Antwuan Harris (6-0, 190), already committed to the Cougars. Iowa State, Kansas, Texas Christian and Wyoming also recruited Harris.
Two other Texas high school players from Berkner High in Richardson have pledged to sign Feb. 4 with BYU.
They are Karland Bennett (6-1, 205), who may play safety in college, and first-team 5A return specialist B.J. Mathis (5-7, 170), a 4.3 sprinter.
The Cougars also picked up California prep linebacker Billy Turner, a 6-0, 220 senior at Archbishop Riordan High. Turner had 9 sacks and 90 tackles for Riordan.
E-mail: dharmon@desnews.com