OSU Recruiting: Cowboys Offer Class of 2019 Snow College DT Sione Asi

Oklahoma State has extended a late-cycle scholarship offer to junior college defensive tackle Sione Asi, a Class of 2019 prospect who is in his final year at Snow College. Asi is a 6-foot-1, 302-pound player ranked by 247Sports as the No. 13 prospect at his position.

It doesn’t appear Asi has any other Division I scholarships, so OSU is likely in the catbird seat to land his services. The Pokes extended the offer to Asi seemingly out of the blue, but he’s been on the staff’s radar for months. The connection with Beni Tonga, OSU’s player development specialist who shares a Polynesian descent, may factor into where he ultimately lands.

The Cowboys have found great success recruiting Polynesian players over the years with the help of Tonga, the likes of which include Ofa Hautau, Mote Maile, Vili Leveni, Lemaefe Galea’i and others. Back in 2014, Galea’i, then a highly-touted offensive line prospect, told The Oklahoman that he was told during his recruitment that the Polynesian foundation was a focus of his recruiting pitch.

“(Tonga) would tell me that they’re trying to build a Polynesian foundation here,” Galea’i said, “like, start a ‘Poly group’ like how other schools have done, like Utah and all them.

“He talked to me about how (we) could be the first ones that start another Poly tradition here at Oklahoma State. I like that. I wanted to join that. I wanted to be a part of it.”

Oklahoma State has already landed two commitments at defensive tackle in the 2019 class in Allen’s Jayden Jernigan and Cedar Hill’s Xavier Ross. With three other commitments at DE in the class, it seemed likely not long ago that OSU was done recruiting the defensive line for the cycle. The late offer could signal an unexpected early graduation from an OSU player on the current roster, or even potentially a transfer that would open up a sixth spot for Asi.