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Four-star QB Hunter Fujikawa has committed to Stanford, breaks down why he chose the Cardinal
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- Four-star QB Hunter Fujikawa has committed to Stanford, breaks down why he chose the Cardinal
Hunter Fujikawa
Mililani (Hawaii) junior quarterback Hunter Fujikawa has committed to Stanford and broke down why he chose the Cardinal.
Stanford picked up their first commitment in the '28 class and it's a big one. Fujikawa is one of the top quarterbacks in the country and checks in as the No. 180 player nationally in the Rivals Industry Rankings, an equally weighted average that utilizes all three major recruiting services.
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Stanford was always on the short list with Fujikawa but we never saw them as the leader in the race. Early on, Oregon and Washington had some buzz and an offer from Michigan made a big impact. He visited UCLA two weeks ago and the Bruins were trending and Ole Miss has been on his short list from the beginning.
Everything changed for Fujikawa after he visited the Farm last weekend and saw the Cardinal beat NC State. He said the visit exceeded all expectations and the talented signal caller decided to pull the trigger just a few days later.
"Stanford really was the best of both worlds," Fujikawa said. "It's more than just football, it's a chance to get a world-class education as well and the quarterback development is really big there. I'm going to have a chance to learn under some really good coaches and that was big for me.
"Having the opportunity to learn from coaches with NFL experience and someone like Andrew Luck, who was the No. 1 overall pick and is still really involved with the program. The coaches really believe in me there and made a point to let me know that. They made it clear that they see me as a big part of the future of the program and I love the vision they have for me and the future of the program."
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A special touch on his visit was a FaceTime call with Hawaii prep legend and former Oregon Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota. Mariota is revered by young and old athletes alike from Hawaii, especially quarterbacks.
"That was a huge highlight for sure," Fujikawa said. "Marcus FaceTimed Coach Pritchard while I was meeting with him, and I got to talk to him over the phone and that was really special.
"He's a great quarterback, and I've looked up to him since I was young. Hearing him talk about how Coach Pritchard helped him rediscover his love for football made the visit even more meaningful."
Fujikawa said the offense and scheme fit was another huge plus for the Cardinal.
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"I love the offense," Fujikawa said. "They broke down clips from my film and put them side by side with clips from their offense to show how similar they are. They run an NFL-style offense, which is exactly what I'm looking for. Just looking at what a great fit it is for me, along with the opportunity to develop as a quarterback, I knew this was the right move for me."
