Arizona Wildcats offensive tackle Louis Akpa has had a tremendous offseason, elevating his size, strength, and technique after a season in which he saw limited action and redshirted.
The former 3-star recruit out of San Junipero High School in South San Francisco, CA, Akpa committed to Arizona on October 30, 2024, and that might turn out to be the best decision he could have made for his development as an offensive tackle.
According to his coaches, Akpa has become one of the most improved players on the team since last year, when he struggled in practice and often got beaten in one-on-one matchups. Rather than quitting his team or transferring elsewhere, Akpa stayed with it and earned the attention he received during spring practice.
With the absence of Tristan Bounds over the spring portion of training camp. Akpa had the chance to compete with Nate Hale and Matthew Lado for key offensive reps. How exactly did Akpa increase his level of play? Let’s take a look at how he improved from last season.
Akpa’s Size and Strength Heavily Increases Through Offseason
In his first year with the Wildcats, Akpa weighed in at 280 pounds to go along with his 6-foot-11 wingspan. His weight and strength gave him trouble against many of Arizona’s top defensive linemen in practice, and oftentimes, they got the best of him in practice…