The most treasured word on the Internet is "viral."
It never meant more to a high school football player than
Fotu Leiato II.
According to
newstribune.com, the
Steilacoom (Wash.) senior linebacker had no scholarship offers in the spring of 2014, and no stars on any recruiting site.
But then his highlight video went viral and the offers began coming in — 15 as of last week. On Saturday, the 6-foot, 200-pounder picked Oregon.
In a statement on Steilacoom's football Twitter account, Leitao said:
I have committed to continue my education and play football at the University of Oregon. I want to thank all of the colleges and coaches that have recruited me over the past months for believing in me and giving me a chance. Each of the schools I considered had great things, but Oregon felt like the right place for me. I cannot wait to get to Eugene and be an Oregon Duck!
The News Tribune told the story of how Leiato, who doesn't use social media, was told to check the views on his Hudl video. In one day it went from 1,000 views to 12,000 to 100,000.
Coaches and fans evidently liked his physical nature, especially on tackles. See for yourself.
