A once highly-touted local recruit is coming back to Utah County.
Former Texas edge rusher and Skyridge High School standout Tausili Akana has transferred to BYU, he announced Monday via social media.
Akana spent the past two seasons with the Longhorns, where he recorded 48 total snaps — mostly on special teams — and contributed a lone assisted tackle.
Prior to his commitment to Texas, 247 Sports rated Akana as a 4-star prospect and the No. 2 overall recruit in Utah for the class of 2023.
He originally pledged to the Longhorns over competing offers from Alabama, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and a number of other notable programs, including BYU.
As a senior, Akana earned 6A State Player of the Year honors after recording 70 tackles and 14.5 sacks as one of the stars of Skyridge’s dominant state championship squad.
Akana has three remaining seasons of eligibility in Provo, where he could develop into a key contributor on Jay Hill’s defense.
He is the fourth transfer to land with the Cougars in the current cycle, joining both Kyle Sfarcioc and Anisi Purcell from Southern Utah along with former Utah tight end Carsen Ryan.