Mike Iupati
[footballsfuture.com]
The University of Idaho’s Mike Iupati, whose parents are from Vaitogi and Nu’uuli— has been ranked the number one offensive guard NFL draft pick by www.nfldraftscout.com. According to govandals.com, Idaho’s official Web site, Mike, 22, is a senior offensive guard and General Studies major at Idaho. He is the third of four children born to Aposetolo and Belinda Iupati.
Mike and his family moved to California, where he graduated from Western High School in Anaheim, Calif., in 2005. During his high school football career, he was team captain, earning All Star and All Conference Honors. He also competed in wrestling and track in high school.
Representing the Vandals, Mike stands at 330lbs, 6’5’’ and wears No. 77 on the football field. He is rated No. 1 out of 198 offensive guards in their division, reports www.nfldraftscout.com.
The nfldraftscout site notes that Mike was selected to the 2009 AFCA All American Team, which was announced by the American Football Coaches Association on Dec. 4, 2009. The AFCA has selected an All American team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions.
“What makes these teams so special is that they are the only ones chosen exclusively by the men who know the players the best, the coaches themselves,” says nfldraftscout. “Mike is one of 24 players voted to the team by the AFCA membership.”
Mike is Idaho’s first AFCA All-American since Ryan Phillips in 1995 and the Vandals’ first since they moved up to the Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) in 1996.
He was a finalist for the Outland Trophy which honors college football’s best interior lineman and earned the recognition as a key piece of a Vandal offense that has been one of the most productive in the last decade.
“His impact on the team was unanimous as he was voted to being the Vandals offensive captain last August,” says nfldraftscout.
During Idaho’s 7-5 regular-season campaign, Iupati played 807 snaps; had 49 knockdowns, 21 pancakes, allowed only five pressures and no sacks in grading out at 90 percent or better every game, nfldraft scout said.
