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Another solid three-star recruit has officially signed with the Utah Utes. Malone Mataele, who comes out of high school playing multiple positions, will end up playing safety for the Utes. The 5’10”, 177-pound Placentia, Calif. native has some pretty impressive stats.
Newest Ute does it all! Malone Mataele from Placentia, CA will play safety at Utah after playing WR, RB, DB, KR and PR at Santa Margarita Catholic HS. https://t.co/qLwotQfZ87 #UtahNSD18 #goutes pic.twitter.com/UvzMRtBjE3
— Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) December 20, 2017
During his senior year at Santa Margarita Catholic High School, he pulled in 1,576 all-purpose yards, 21 kick returns for 626 yards and 12 punt returns for 194 yards. Mataele scored 13 total touchdowns — nine of them were from rushing and four were from receiving. You can add 38 catches for 450 yards and 49 carries for 306 yards, and four tackles and two pass breakups on defense to that.
Merry Christmas UtesNation! ITS OFFICIAL!! ✋ ⚫️ pic.twitter.com/RsuRZcmFF9
— MATAELE (@Malone_Mataele) December 20, 2017
The 2016 Cal-Hi all-state juniors second-team multipurpose player and first-team all-Trinity League and second-team all-county standout, had also put up decent numbers his junior year.
1,341 all-purpose yards with 711 yards on kick returns (25 returns), 10 total touchdowns, 16 punt returns for 279 yards and two scores, 45 carries for 245 yards and five touchdowns and nine catches for 106 yards and one touchdown, and 31 tackles complete with five passes defended on defense are the numbers he put up.
His last name is pronounced mah-tah-elly.