It appears as though Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns' offensive staff are trying to do everything they can to convince one of the top offensive tackles in the 2027 cycle to join Texas at what seems to be the "last minute". 4-star OT Isaiah Bertola has been leaning heavily towards USC, California, and BYU as of late, but Texas just offered him a scholarship yesterday.
Though Bertola hasn't set an official commitment date, he was rumored to be in the final stages of his recruitment decision-making. The 6'5", 305-pound blocker from Ewa Beach, HI, is currently ranked as the No.2 OT prospect in Hawaii, and the No.35 OT prospect in the 2027 class according to 247Sports.com's composite rankings.
Blessed to receive an full scholarship to the University of Texas #hookem🤘🏾@GWurtzburger @CoachD_Gatewood @GregBiggins @BrandonHuffman @adamgorney pic.twitter.com/k1jJV8ulnG
— Isaiah (@Isaiah_Bertola) April 24, 2026
The Hawaiian lineman's momentum is impossible to ignore
Bertola's been performing incredibly well in Hawaii's offseason recruiting showcases, and it's undoubtedly one of the main reasons why Texas is going after him so forcefully right now.
He has excellent footspeed and lateral quickness, which makes it easier for him to mirror speed rushers in pass protection. His pass sets are fairly refined as well, and he distributes his weight nicely when kicking into his initial set.
Getting that work in!!@CoachChinander @shadrich80 @AaronAmaama @CoachLynch @CoachRod77 @_DJDaniels @Coach_Seumalo pic.twitter.com/uIzmXRl5ld
— Isaiah (@Isaiah_Bertola) February 20, 2026
As a run blocker, he displays excellent leg drive and upper body strength to finish blocks consistently in both zone and power schemes.
It's not often that we see this coaching staff going so hard after a player when they haven't spent much time with them, but Kyle Flood apparently feels pretty strongly about Bertola's potential. Normally, a coaching staff will just take an "onto the next one" type of approach when it comes to being late to the party for a recruit, but this situation definitely feels different.
It's going to be incredibly interesting to follow Bertola's recruitment over the next week or so, as he would be an excellent addition to next year's recruiting class.
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