Oklahoma State Makes Top 5 for 2025 Defender Nusi Taumoepeau

Utah is quickly becoming one of Oklahoma State’s most prosperous recruiting grounds, and the Cowboys are after another player from the Beehive State.

Nusi Taumoepeau, a defensive prospect in the 2025 recruiting class, released his top five schools on Friday morning: Oklahoma State, Cal, Stanford, Utah and BYU. Out of Westlake High School in Saratoga Springs, Utah, Taumoepeau is a three-star prospect and listed as the No. 927 player in the 2025 247Sports Composite rankings. He also made note that he will announce a commitment on Aug. 1, his birthday.

Preciate Uce Hammie @wunnaone for the authentic graphic!! It’s a family thang! Grateful to be in this position, All Glory To God!! #JUICE🧃

COMMITTING on my birthday, AUGUST 1st‼️#17REASONZ@WestlakeFootbal @StanfordFball @CalFootball @CowboyFB @Utah_Football @BYUfootball pic.twitter.com/rCQOmZDjYW

— Nusi Taumoepeau (@nusgotdajuice) May 31, 2024

At 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, Taumoepeau is listed as an edge rusher on 247Sports, a linebacker on On3 and a weakside defensive end on Rivals — so, a football player. It appears OSU is after him as a linebacker, as he mentioned linebackers coach Joe Bob Clements and linebacker prospect analyst Justin Gordon in a tweet.

OSU offered Taumoepeau back in early December, and he made an official visit to Stillwater in mid-April. Along with his top group, Taumoepeau had also announced offers to Washington, Arizona, Miami, Arizona State, Iowa State, Vanderbilt and others.

His film certainly gives some Troy Polamalu vibes, as Taumoepeau flies downhill with his hair flowing out of the back of his helmet, but Polamalu was a 5-10, 207-pound safety.

The Cowboys already have Utah tight end Jordan Vyborny committed in the class, though Vyborny transferred into Utah from Illinois. But it just adds to the work OSU’s staff has done in Utah over recent seasons, getting guys like Mason Cobb, Jaylen Warren, Sesi Vailahi, Nuku Mafi and many more.

OSU’s 2025 class ranks 28th nationally, and that’s with only one defender committed at this point — Wichita linebacker Kyle Keya. That ranking is good for fifth in the Big 12, but three of the four Big 12 teams in front of the Pokes have at least 11 commits to OSU’s nine this early in the process. If Taumoepeau committed today, it would bump OSU’s class up to 25th nationally and fourth in the Big 12.