Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now
HUNTINGTON BEACH — Justin Tauanuu drifted into Huntington Beach’s gymnasium with a relaxed stroll and warm smile. The 6-foot-6 1/2, 290-pound senior soon began hugging and shaking hands with well-wishers.
“It’s a pretty surreal moment,” he later said. “I’m going to be moving on to the next chapter — college football, which I’m very excited for.”
Tauanuu completed his rapid rise as a major prospect by signing a National Letter of Intent with USC on Wednesday, the first day high school football recruits could sign with universities.
The offensive tackle celebrated National Signing Day surrounded by friends, family and teammates, including Air Force-bound linemen Sean Marella.
While blessed with size, Tauanuu didn’t start thinking about playing football in college until his sophomore year. And he only played a few years of flag football before arriving at Huntington Beach.
But he embraced the program’s “Oilers for life” mentality to develop skills to match his size and bloodlines in the sport.
“I like him,” Greg Biggins, a national recruiting analysist with 247Sports, said of Tauanuu. “He’s a fluid athlete for a player his size, strong at the point of attack, physical and advanced technically.”
Tauanuu worked closely at Huntington Beach with offensive line coach Greg Olquin.
“I love him a lot,” Tauanuu said. “He coached us really well. Taught us all his techniques and helped us polish up our techniques. It was a lot fun with him.”
Tauanuu also trained with a few of his teammates privately with 5AS1, an offensive line group. He also bought his own ingredients to the recruiting equation.
Tauanuu learned to be aggressive as the youngest of three brothers.
His oldest brother Benjamin, 34, played offensive line at Mater Dei and Montana State. His brother Nathan played linebacker at Huntington Beach and is preparing to play at Golden West College.
“It helped build some character into me,” he said of the roughhousing with his brothers.
Offensive line play runs in the family. Tauanuu’s father Ben, who is Samoan, is cousins with former Western High standout Mike Iupati, who played several years in the NFL after attending the University of Idaho.
Tauanuu credits his parents for guiding him through the recruiting process, which included him de-committing late in the high school season from Stanford.
He traces much of his warm nature to his mother, Luanne, who is Vietnamese.
Huntington Beach coach Brett Brown said Tauanuu is the favorite player of his 5-year-old daughter. The towering lineman has been known to take youngsters to the snack bar during youth flag football games.
“He’s unbelievable (on the field),” Brown said of Tauanuu, “and one of the best people to be around.”
