"I thought he was a USC lock": Football fans react as elite 6-foot-7 OT Malakai Lee announces four potential landing spots ft. Alabama, Michigan

The college football recruiting scene lit up this weekend after Malakai Lee, a 6-foot-7, 320-pound offensive tackle from Kamehameha High School in Honolulu, Hawaii, revealed his final four schools. Lee's list includes Alabama, Michigan, Texas and Georgia.

Ranked No. 118 overall in the 2026 class by On3, Lee also holds a 92.69 rating and is considered one of the top 10 offensive tackles in the country.

The announcement sent a ripple across fanbases, particularly USC supporters, many of whom expected Lee to don cardinal and gold. One fan posted:

“but i thought he was a usc lock?”

Another joked:

“Hawaii to Michigan.....get ready to freeze yo balls off son.”

Here is how others reacted:

"You know you want to plant the flag in Columbus," a fan quipped.

"USCs been chirping this guy a Trojan lock. What happened Chad?" another quipped.

"Whatever. Good luck on your multi school journey," another remarked.

Lee’s journey to this point included initial interest from programs like BYU and USC, but he has since narrowed his choices to the powerhouse quartet. Georgia hosted Lee for an official visit on April 12, where he connected deeply with Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart and his staff.

“Georgia knocked it out of the park,” Lee told On3’s Chad Simmons. “They were so caring for me and my family. The southern hospitality at Georgia was great. Then seeing G-Day was awesome too.

"I got to see the players work and the coaches coach, then right after the game, Coach Searels was already grading the players like a real game, so that was great to see too. Georgia football is going to be Georgia football, especially under Coach Smart, and it was an overall great experience at Georgia."

Malakai Lee sets crucial visits as top OT eyes final decision

Top offensive tackle Malakai Lee continues to draw heavy interest from national powerhouses as he inches closer to a commitment.

While USC previously led in On3's Recruiting Prediction Machine, the Trojans failed to make Lee’s final four, opening the door for Alabama, Michigan, Texas and Georgia.

Alabama will host Lee on Friday. The Crimson Tide remain aggressive in their pursuit under Kalen DeBoer.

“Alabama football is great, and I really like Coach DeBoer and Coach Kap (Chris Kapilovic),” Lee said. “They both seem like great guys. I saw a lot on the unofficial visit. They answered a lot of my questions, and I like how the program is going in the right direction.”

Michigan, scheduled for a June 20 official visit, also stands out.

“Coach Newsome and Coach Moore are both super-good offensive line coaches,” said Lee. “That, their offensive line production and how they develop players there are things I like about Michigan. They offer a great education too. They got Bryce Underwood, a great quarterback, last year too.”

Georgia—despite limited success with Hawaiian recruits—has hosted Lee three times since extending an offer nearly two years ago, most recently in April.

Texas, the first to offer Lee back in May 2022, will welcome him on June 6. The Longhorns are hoping to pair him with recent offensive line commits like Max Anderson, who joined in March.