Arkansas Legacy DE Mataio Soli Calls the Hogs

Arkansas just landed one of it's biggest Class of 2019 prizes as defensive end Mataio Soli has announced his commitment to play for the Razorbacks.

The 6-foot-4, 230-pound specimen from Douglasville (Ga.) Douglas County is an Arkansas legacy.

Mataio's father -- Junior Soli -- was an All-SEC caliber player at Arkansas from 1992-95 and was drafted in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers.

"I started watching football when I was about six years old and I'd say Arkansas was my favorite team," Soli admitted. "When my dad told me that's who he played for -- and when you are little kid you want to be just like your dad."

Mataio has carved out his own niche on the field and has racked up an impressive offer list from schools like Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, and Florida in addition to Arkansas.

Douglas County head coach Johnny White has noticed Soli's passion for the game.

"He is a good athlete, but I think it is his work ethic that puts him over the next level," White said of the new Razorback commitment's strongest attribute.

Soli, who is currently rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals.com, could soon be in line for a rankings bump after a strong showing in the evaluation period, so Razorbacks fans may want to stay tuned.

Arkansas is also firmly in the mix for another legacy at defensive end in the 2019 Class in Little Rock (Ark.) Robinson's Zach Williams.

Soli is the sixth known commitment in the 2019 Arkansas recruiting class.