Interview: 13-Offer 3-Star 2021 California SDE Mandela Tobin Rising on Recruiting Boards
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
Everything is on the rise for Class of 2021 defensive end/lineman Mandela Tobin. Tobin clear cut California offenses a season ago racking up an estimated 50 to 60 tackles with 10 tackles for a loss and four sacks as more of a tackle. His offseason workouts are paying dividends going from a 6-3, 260-pound, prospect to a 6-4, 275-pound, behemoth in the trenches. As his work on and off the field propels him to an elite playing level, college coaches are catching onto him. The spring and summer months have pushed the three-star Westview High School product to a 13-offer talent.
With the California high school football season set to begin first of January, Tobin continues to push hard in the weight room and during individual workouts. His recruiting process is tightening up after posting a Top 5 on Sept. 1.
In a revisit to the RNG Lab, Tobin updates us on all that he has going on including how he narrowed down his Top 5.
Interview
Mandela, I’ve always been a fan of your play in the trenches and college programs are now seeing the light. As the offers have rolled in for you throughout the offseason, how has that helped motivate your workouts?
It has done a lot for me mentally and physically. It is more of a mental thing. I have stepped up my game with my workouts. I asked my coach to make my workouts college level workouts, and I am doing my own stuff and working out with some of my teammates and friends. It has helped me for sure. The offers are helping me prepare for the next level.
What have you keyed on with your technique over the spring and summer months?
I have been doing a lot. I have actually been going up to the Los Angeles area to work with a trainer. His son was a five-star linebacker. He has been training linebackers and defensive ends for a long time now. I learned a lot from him, and I am working down here in San Diego with one of my trainers.
With my San Diego trainer, we were working on mobility and flexibility, and that shifted to more defensive line specific stuff. This summer I have been working with a Utah, player and some other D-I commits. That has helped my technique a lot. I’ve worked more on my spin move off the edge and on perfecting my long arm technique.
Let’s keep with that, which other moves have you been working on this summer?
This summer I have been working on a fake. You fake inside and you swipe as you get around the edge. My coach calls it a “windmill move”. You flip your hips and you use both of your hands when you swipe. Another move I have been working on is a fake stab and swipe. I picked that up from an NFL defensive lineman. It has been working for me, and I am still improving on it. I like those kind of moves. Those are some of my sneak-peak of moves for this season.
Your strength is next level kind of stuff. If you will, update me on the various workouts you’ve been doing to add more power to your game.
When quarantine began, I did not have a gym. I had to start pushing cars around for a leg day workout. I have been doing a lot of jumping exercise, box jumps, and a shoulder and ab workout where you jump over the bench for 20 or 30 reps. That is when the quarantine hit. The gym is now open, and we have a new coaching staff. Our conditioning coach has great workouts for us. As mentioned, I asked him to make the workouts college like. They make you sweat like you haven’t ever in your life, and it adds strength. Those are the kind of workouts I have been doing along with my defensive line training, and discipline type training.
Last time we talked your maxes were very impressive. With the gym now open, have you had a chance to max out this summer?
Yes. I posted two of my max videos on Twitter about a week ago. On bench I got 380, power clean is 265, that should be higher, my deadlift is 500 pounds – I think I could have done 550 on that, and my squat is 455. I think my squat should be higher too. The two I am proud of are my bench and deadlift.
As we get closer to the 2020 season, do you have a better idea of where all you might line up on the field this season?
Yes. You will see me going both ways on the offensive and defensive line. On defense, I am playing a JJ Watt (Texans) kind of set up as a 3-tech and coming off the edge. What the coaches have me doing all depends on the offense they are running. I am really excited for this season. I have trained way too hard to not dominate.
On offense, at which position will you be playing?
Right tackle. My coaches feel they can utilize my strength on that side.
What style of defense are you guys playing this season?
From what I have heard, it will be the same as last year, 4-down and three backers. The new defensive line coach that we have, he is a hand in the ground type of defensive line coach. It will be interesting to be coached by him. I am looking forward to it.
With the season opening in January, what is the practice schedule going forward for the Wolverines?
For now, we were doing voluntary workouts. The weight room has opened up, and everything is outside. You have to pay $2 each time you workout for the cleaning supplies. I enjoyed the workouts. I think it will get the team where it needs to be. We incorporated bag work with masks on in our workouts. As of now, we are waiting to go again. I am hoping we will be back soon.
The recruiting process is odd for seniors across the country. How are you approaching recruiting with so many unknowns, like official visits, all around?
It is a tale of taking a leap of faith or praying the NCAA allows visits to commence. Visits are the most important part of recruiting, football or any other sport. I believe that is the most important part. You decide if the school is right for you, because you live there for four years. If we can have football games, and those teams are playing, I hope I can go visit these campuses using social distancing and with a mask, of course. I wish they’d let us visit. I don’t want the 2021 guys to find out they don’t want to be there and transfer after a semester or a year. If they’d had that visit, they might not have to transfer.
Agreed. Where are you with a “Top Schools List”?
I did one about two weeks ago.
Which schools are on your list?
Kansas, Kansas State, Nebraska, Fresno State, and Nevada.
To come up with your top schools, what was the criteria to be on that list?
I was looking at academics first, then football of course. I want to make sure football is straight and that I can fall back on academics if football does not pan out the way I want. The quality of life at the school and around the school are two other things I looked at for my list. I think college is not just about school but also about experiencing the place where you live. Going to college is a huge experience. Those schools on my list stepped up the game on me with recruiting. I am excited about this process. When this season comes around, I am keeping my recruiting open in case any changes happen.
Do you have a commitment date in mind?
Yes. I am looking to commit early-to-mid fall. It all depends on the NCAA for the upcoming months. If they don’t allow visits, that will force my hand to commit earlier. If the NCAA allows visits next month, I will push back my commitment date. I am sure other commits will as well. I don’t want to worry about spots being taken up.
Since your recruiting is still ongoing, which schools are showing interest?
It has been interesting – San Diego State is showing interest. Oregon State as well. Both have been sending edits. I was followed by Duke on Twitter the other day. The coach I was working with in LA, he told me USC and UCLA might start showing interest once the season gets going. That is what I know for now. I am grateful for where I am, I am totally happy.
How many offers are you holding now?
Thirteen.
*Tobin now has 14 offers. Duke offered after this interview was posted (Sept. 22)
Which program was the last to offer?
Northern Arizona was the last one.
Tobin’s Offer Sheet: Air Force, Colorado State, Fresno State, Kansas, Kansas State, Lehigh, Montana State, Navy, Nebraska, Nevada, Northern Arizona, Southern University, and UNLV
Did you take any virtual visits this summer?
I did a bunch of virtual visits. The biggest ones were with Nebraska, Kansas, Nevada, and Fresno State. We did multiple with those schools. I did some that did not make my top list, I did enjoy those. Those schools in my Top 5 put it all on the table. With this process, I look forward to building that bond with all of the coaches.
Mandela, it was great catching up with you again seeing where you are at with your workouts and recruiting. Keep up the hard work.
Thank you.
Photo credit: Tobin family; Mandela Tobin