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Kinilau Fonohema, EDGE, Springville HS (Springville, Utah)
The third member of BYU's 2024 recruiting class from Springville High (alongside defensive lineman Dallin Johnson and mission-bound safety Luke Nadauld), Fonohema will also reunite with former teammate Ryder Burton, a freshman quarterback for the Cougars.
"Playing with my former teammates will just be an extension of playing at Springville High," Fonohema told KSL.com after making his announcement surrounded by friends and family at Springville High. "They feel like my family, and I can't wait to play with them (again)."
The 6-foot-6, 220-pound weakside defensive end was a two-time Utah 5A all-state selection, including first-team honors as a senior after totaling 46 tackles and 7.5 sacks for the 8-2 Red Devils.
The No. 12-rated recruit in Utah by 247Sports, Fonohema chose BYU over offers from Oregon State, Utah, Washington State and Utah State, among others. A wrestler in high school, he took official visits to Corvallis, Pullman and Provo before finishing his recruiting with an official visit Dec. 9 to Salt Lake City.
But the Cougars put a full-court press on Fonohema, with recruiting updates from defensive coordinator Jay Hill and defensive ends coach Kelly Poppinga almost since the time the duo arrived in Provo a year ago to win the recruiting battle that ultimately came down to the two rivals separated by 47 miles.
Fonohema plans to finish the remainder of the school year — he still has wrestling tournaments and titles to contend — and enroll at BYU in May.
But he'll do so knowing where he'll end up playing collegiately.
"It's a huge relief," Fonohema said. "I'm glad that it's finally all over. I'm just eager to get started at BYU."
One week 👀 Dec 20th 5pm pic.twitter.com/QOLcG8RlCU
— Kinilau Fonohema (@KinilauFonohema) December 13, 2023
