RECRUITING: Centennial’s Pili makes early commitment to BYU

Trajan Pili could have waited for more scholarship offers to pour in as his college football future took shape.

But after finding what he considered a perfect fit at Brigham Young, he was eager to make a decision.

Pili, who will be a junior defensive end/tight end at Centennial next season, made an oral commitment to BYU earlier this week. He plans to sign with the Cougars in February 2013.

“They rarely give verbal offers to sophomores, so I was excited,” said Pili, who BYU recruited as an outside linebacker. “It feels like all the hard work since I was young has paid off.”

Pili excelled at BYU’s All-Poly Camp in June, and received an oral scholarship offer from head coach Bronco Mendenhall during a meeting in the coach’s office on the final day of the camp.

Pili also drew recruiting interest from Utah, Utah State, Wyoming, UNR and Stanford, but BYU was the first to extend an offer.

“It was the first offer, but BYU is a really good fit for me,” Pili said.

Pili’s cousin, Jo Jo Pili, is a running back at BYU who is currently serving a two-year LDS church mission.

Trajan Pili said he plans to leave for his own mission after high school, but could also play at BYU his freshman year.

The 6-foot-2-inch, 210-pound defensive end made 48 tackles as a sophomore to help the Bulldogs (8-4) reach the Sunset Region semifinals. He said Centennial has even higher expectations in 2011.

“This year, we have a new motto: to commit ourselves,” he said. “I’m ready to do everything I can to push for a state championship. We have the potential.”

Centennial coach Leon Evans called Pili “a great student” who is already emerging as a leader on and off the field for the Bulldogs.

“Both sides of the ball, he was that way as a sophomore,” Evans said.

Pili also caught five passes for 66 yards at tight end in 2010.