BYU football gets big recruiting win with commitment from California DT Victory Vaka

The BYU Cougars received a commitment on Friday from California defensive tackle Victory Vaka. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News

In more ways than one, the BYU football program got a big win on the recruiting trail Friday.

The win came in name, as California defensive tackle Victory Vaka announced his pledge to the program. It came in size, as Vaka is listed by 247 Sports at 6-foot-2 and 350 pounds. It came in immediate impact, as Vaka is a late addition as part of the Class of 2021. Perhaps most importantly, it came in quality of the player, as Vaka had been pursued by a bevy of Power Five programs.

Vaka, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, announced his commitment on Twitter.

Stick To The Script Till The Scene Switch! #GoCougars #CTR pic.twitter.com/WDiwXdCeBe

— (@victoryvaka) April 30, 2021

Out of Westlake High School in Westlake Village in the Golden State, Vaka has had a rather complicated recruiting process. According to 247 Sports, in May of last year, he committed to Texas A&M but decommitted in November.

On Dec. 18, he announced a final six of BYU, Colorado, Florida State, Michigan, Penn State and Vanderbilt. He then committed to Colorado on Christmas Day before decommitting on Jan. 19 and announcing his pledge to BYU on Friday.

In all, he holds scholarship offers from 19 Power Five programs, according to 247 Sports, although that site reported that Vaka will actually initially join BYU as a preferred walk-on because of a scholarship crunch.

Assuming Vaka arrives on campus, he joins a 2021 recruiting class for BYU that is especially strong on the defensive side of the ball with the likes of Logan Fano, Raider Damuni and John Henry Daley, among others.

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