How Curtis 4-star recruit went from brother’s shadow to major Pac-12 commitment
Rashaun Lavata’i is a mountain of a man. He’s 6-foot-7, nearly 300 pounds, an imposing figure with paws for hands.
Until the easygoing smile stretches across the face of the prized football recruit from Curtis High School, it’s easy to forget he’s still a pup.
Lavata’i, who is entering his senior year at Curtis in 2026-27, is just 16 years old. He doesn’t turn 17 until August. 24, when he’ll be in the middle of practicing for Curtis’ opening football game a week-and-a-half later.
He shot up from 6-foot-3 his sophomore year to 6-foot-6 last season and around 6-foot-7 now. As a freshman, he weighed 220 pounds. Now, 290.
“I’ve been putting on good weight, not losing my feet as I add more weight onto me,” Lavata’i told The News Tribune at Curtis on Wednesday morning.
For most of his high school career, Lavata’i lived in the shadow of his older brother, Robby, who was a TNT All-Area selection in 2025. He’s now a freshman playing football at San Diego State.
Robby is the reason Rashaun is so young as a senior. He skipped a grade so he could play with his older brother.
“I started in fourth grade, playing up with the sixth graders,” he said. “That’s where my brother was playing. I always wanted to play with him because we’re very competitive together. It just went on from there, always playing up a level and not backing down from any competition.”
As his body has matured, his recruitment has followed suit. While Robby grabbed most of the accolades and attention, Rashaun has now become the more highly-rated recruit of the two. Rashaun has shot up the recruiting rankings and is now considered a four-star recruit and the No. 3 recruit in Washington in the 2027 class by Rivals.
He recently committed to Washington State, a major recruiting win for first-year WSU coach Kirby Moore.
“Since day one, they’ve really been checking on me, supporting me in the classroom and I like their vision for me,” Lavata’i said of the Cougs. “I like how that whole new coaching staff is really building something good there.”
First-year Curtis coach Brian Jensen, who was the longtime coach at Bellarmine Prep before taking the job at his alma mater this year, didn’t have many linemen that had Lavatai’s measurables at Bellarmine. Scratch that — he didn’t have any.
“He’s got nice, loose hips,” Jensen said. “His feet are good. He mentioned it, he was putting good weight on. That’s a strength of his, he can move. All good athletes can move.”
Lavata’i isn’t overweight, either. He’s lean, strong with a long wingspan. From a physical standpoint, he already looks like a college player. He has become a coveted offensive tackle prospect because of his frame and skillset.
His breakthrough came during an offseason Under Armour camp in March in Phoenix, Arizona, where Lavata’i was named the camp’s offensive line MVP. The offers started rolling in shortly thereafter.
“I went into that camp with a dawg mentality,” he said. “I’ve been working up to that. I came out of that with the MVP and that really shocked my recruitment.”
A smile stretched across his face.
“I got to show my light, really,” he said.” That light really got bright. It got bright real fast.”
Lavata’i will have the opportunity to play against his brother in college — WSU and San Diego State will be peers in the new Pac-12, beginning in 2026.
But first, one more season at Curtis. He’ll play offensive tackle. And on defense? A little edge rusher, a little defensive tackle.
“Wherever he wants,” Jensen said, laughing. “He’s a quiet leader. His teammates follow him. He’s well respected.”
