The Bay Area’s top football prospect in the class of 2024 is set to stay close to home for his college career.
Four-star outside linebacker Naki Tuakoi, a 6-4 and 222-pound edge rusher from Fremont-Oakland who is the region’s highest-ranked recruit according to 247Sports, has committed to Stanford.
Tuakoi, who was named all-Oakland Athletic League as a junior, officially committed to the Cardinal on June 12.
The Cardinal’s 2024 class is now ranked No. 10 in the country by 247Sports, after Dylan Stephenson, a four-star pass-rusher from Columbus-Miami, committed to Stanford.
“I have been blessed with life-changing opportunities and am grateful for it all,” Tuakoi wrote on his personal Instagram page. “This was not an easy decision but is one that I felt presented me with amazing opportunities both on and off the field.”
The talented defender also held offers from USC, Oregon, Notre Dame, Tennessee and other Power 5 schools.
Tuakoi is the second high-profile Oakland-area athlete and the third East Bay standout to commit to the program after Troy Taylor succeeded longtime head coach David Shaw.
Oakland Tech alum and three-star defensive end Omar Staples Jr. was part of Taylor’s first recruiting class, as was Jackson Harris, a receiver from Berkeley who also joined Staples on the all-Bay Area News Group team.
247Sports has Tuakoi ranked as the 29th-best prospect in the state and the 18th-best edge rusher in the country.
Stanford struggled through a second consecutive 3-9 season in 2022, with a defense ranked 113th in points allowed.
