Orem High's Kaue Akana announced his commitment to the BYU football program early Tuesday morning on social media.
COMMITTED!! @CoachJayHill @kalanifsitake@BlairAngulo @BrandonHuffman#GoCougs #byucougars #cougarnation #provo #BYU pic.twitter.com/DWEfGWhcH4
— Kaue Akana (@akana_kaue) July 1, 2025
He is rated the No. 7 prospect in Utah for the class of 2026. He held offers from high-profile programs such as Alabama, Oregon, Tennessee and others.
Akana plays on both sides of the ball, as many high school athletes do, but he told 247Sports’ Blair Angulo that he envisions himself playing safety for Jay Hill.
He added that offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick is eager to also use him in some offensive packages.
He’s shown here on the receiving end of a touchdown pass from fellow BYU commit Ryder Lyons, making a spectacular catch.
KAUE AKANA WHAT A CATCH 🥶
— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) March 16, 2025
📺: OT7 - LIVE on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/dxkvCL0cen
The Hawaii native is listed at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds and is the 16th commitment in BYU’s 2026 class. The Cougars now hold the top 2026 recruiting class in the Big 12 Conference.
His official visit took place the weekend of June 20, the same time five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons was on campus. Lyons committed to BYU the following Tuesday.