Lompoc star running back Toa Taua commits to Nevada

Lompoc star senior running back Toa Taua announced his verbal college commitment Saturday during the Polynesian Bowl in Hawaii.

Taua, a 3-star prospect who rushed for over 4,600 yards and 73 touchdowns during his high school career, committed to join Nevada during the fall of 2018.

Taua was reportedly recruited by around 10 Division I schools but he narrowed his decision to Nevada, Utah State and Iowa State before choosing the Wolfpack. Nevada went 3-9 last season (3-5 Big West) under first-year head coach Jay Norvell.

Not only will Taua follow in his older brother's footsteps but also former Atascadero High School basketball and football standout Elijah Cooks. Cooks was a freshman wide receiver with Nevada in 2017, and the two are friends off the field.

Although most of Taua’s success at the high school level came at running back, the 5-foot-10, 190-pound athlete with the wild hair could make the switch to defense at the next level. Taua had 193 tackles and 8.5 sacks on defense over four years at Lompoc, a stretch that included a 44-5 record.

Toa Taua’s older brother, Vai Taua, was a standout running back at Nevada and went on to play in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks. He’s currently an assistant coach for Nevada. Another older brother, Ainuu Taua, is a member of the UCLA football team, where he plays fullback and defensive line.

This story was originally published January 21, 2018 at 1:45 PM with the headline "Lompoc star running back Toa Taua commits to Nevada."