Matangi Tonga is a seasoned veteran when it comes to college football recruiting. The 6-foot-1, 265-pound defensive tackle from San Mateo (Calif.) Aragon watched his brother, Manase, go through the process a couple of years ago and sign with BYU. With five offers already in hand, Tonga will need to make some college decisions of his own in the coming months.

"I have offers from Nebraska, UCLA, BYU, Idaho, and Arizona State," Tonga said. "I'm also getting a lot of attention from Oregon, USC and several others.

"Right now, I'd say that Nebraska and BYU are recruiting me hardest of anyone."

Tonga earned first-team all-state honors as a defensive lineman in 2004, after tallying 25 tackles for loss and 12 quarterback sacks. Displaying good strength (330-pound bench press) and outstanding quickness (4.7-second 40-yard dash), Tonga is one of the more highly coveted defensive line prospects on the West Coast.

"I guess I have a good nose for the ball," Tonga said. "I know how to penetrate into the backfield, and have a good sense for where the play is going."

Tonga has yet to schedule any official visits, but he admits that most of his trips will likely take place in California or surrounding states.

"My favorites right now are USC, BYU, UCLA, and Cal," Tonga said. "It's between USC and BYU right now...those are my top two."

"I'd like to stay out west – maybe in California. I like Utah a lot too. I have a lot of family down there."

Tonga said that both USC and BYU appeal to him for what they offer in the classroom, as well as on the football field.

"With USC, I like their football program," Tonga said, "and I like their coaching staff. They just have great football tradition.

"At BYU, I talked to the head coach, and he seems like a nice guy. My brother is there too, and that's a plus. I'd like to play with my brother. I've never gotten to do that before. He graduated from high school three years ago, and went on a two year mission before enrolling at BYU. He'll be a redshirt freshman there this year."

Although Tonga admits that playing with his brother in college is enticing, he said that it's only one of several criteria he'll consider when deciding on a college.

"That's just one consideration," Tonga said. "It's not a real big factor. It will really just come down to whatever school fits me best.

"I want to go to a place with a good football program and with good academics. I'll also look hard at the area. I don't really want to go to a college that is in a small area with nothing to do. I like the big city."

Tonga said that whatever college he decides to attend will need to understand that he'll likely take a two-year break from classes and football during his time on campus.

"I plan to go on a mission," Tonga said, "and I need to work that out with the various colleges. I'll probably go to school for one semester, then go on a two-year mission, and then come back and finish things out."

Right now, Tonga is focused on his senior season. His school opens the season on Friday against Santa Cruz. He said he'll likely wait until after the season to take any official visits.

"I'll probably take them after the season," Tonga said. "I might go to a BYU game to watch my brother, and I might try to make it to the Cal/USC game. Other than that, I'll be concentrating on my season and school this fall.

"I'll probably commit sometime after the season – after I get a chance to take a few visits."

This article and interview are complements of DuckSportsAuthority.