Oklahoma football recruiting: Will Latu never expected to end up at OU

It didn't take long for Latu to turn into a dominant force, though, for St. Petersburg (Fla.) Gibbs.

He quickly realized he could play beyond high school but his only offer came from Northern State University in Aberdeen, S.D.

Latu (6-foot-5, 315 pounds) redshirted there, while dominating in practice, but the full scholarship that didn't come close to covering everything he needed weighed on him.

So we wound up at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, Calif.

There, he blossomed into the top offensive linemen in the junior college ranks.

Then, the offers started to roll in.

First, he committed to West Virginia, then later shifted to Auburn.

But when it became apparent the Southeastern Conference's academic standards would keep Latu out of Auburn, at least until just before the season, Latu decided to take another look around.

With a visit to Norman just before signing day, Latu was hooked.

He didn't even wait until Sunday morning--when most players who decide to commit on a visit tell the coaching staff.

When Latu, his dad and OU coaches and players were sitting around Saturday afternoon, he told the group that he was ready to be a Sooner.

“Everything has been a real, real ride for me to go through those ups and downs and all the different schools,” Latu said. “It all worked out for the best and I believe everything happens for a reason.”