HAU'ULA — The nation's No. 1-ranked college linebacker prospect, Punahou School senior Manti Te'o, received his first official All-America honor of the season Tuesday night.

It came with letters and certificates of commendation, from U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, Congresswoman Mazie Hirono, Mayor Mufi Hannemann.

But this honor had absolutely nothing to do with football, and everything to do with what kind of person Te'o is beneath the jersey and shoulder pads.

"On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country ... ," Te'o said, reciting a pledge immediately after receiving his Eagle Scout badge in front of family and friends at the Hau'ula Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "To help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight."

Te'o may be the most heavily recruited Hawai'i high school football player ever — he had more than 30 offers from some of the top programs in the country — but it's not just because he is 6 feet 2, 233 pounds, covers 40 yards in 4.55 seconds and has tremendous explosiveness and pursuit.

It's also because he is a strong student in the classroom (3.2 grade point average), devout church member and an extremely personable, respectful young man.

"He's a gem, he has the total package," Hannemann said. "Whoever lands him as a recruit, that school will not just be getting a great football player ... they'll be getting a great person."

STRONG ROOTS

This "gem" was mined from strong ore.

Te'o's father, Brian, was a fullback for Kahuku in the late 1980s. His mother, Ottilia, comes from the Santiago family that produced several standout football players at Kahuku, including brothers Louis, Walter and Lane and father, Louis Sr.

But Te'o was not just born into being an elite linebacker; he was made.

When Manti was 6 years old, Brian would put him through drills at the park or in the back yard in La'ie.

"I taught him how to catch the ball, using the 'diamond' and the pinkies," Brian said. "I'd make him run 10 yards and back. Any day, we would spend about 30 minutes. We worked on stance, on being balanced ..."

Te'o started organized football as a "blocking tight end" for the Ko'olauloa Junior Pee Wees, but later became a linebacker.

"We trained him to be the best linebacker he could be," Brian said, "but we were never thinking he could become the best linebacker in the state, or in the country. We were just hoping he would eventually get at least one scholarship offer."

'RED RAIDER FOR LIFE'

Like almost every other boy who grows up playing football on the North Shore, Te'o had his sights set on someday playing for Kahuku.

"I was raised in Ko'olauloa as a 'Red Raider for Life,' " he said.

But Brian saw greater overall opportunity at Punahou, and Te'o enrolled there as a seventh grader. After two years of 40-mile commutes, however, Te'o got homesick and transferred to Kahuku.

"I was too immature," Te'o said. "Even though I was wearing blue and gold (Punahou's colors), my blood still runs red and white."

Te'o played for Kahuku's JV team that season and was the only freshman linebacker called up for the varsity playoffs. But he then transferred back to Punahou.

"My dad told me I could make a bigger impact here (at Punahou)," Te'o said. "There's so much opportunity here, it would be a shame if I didn't take advantage of it."

RECRUITING BARRAGE

Te'o burst onto the Interscholastic League of Honolulu scene as a sophomore, making first-team all-ILH and second-team Advertiser All-State despite a late-season injury.

As a junior, Te'o made 80 tackles, including eight or nine sacks. Brian had a highlight tape made, and then the offers and recruiting materials started rushing in.

The list was narrowed to five two months ago: Brigham Young, Notre Dame, Southern California, Stanford and UCLA.

He took an official visit to UCLA in September, and will visit Notre Dame next weekend. A tentative visit to USC has been scheduled for the weekend after, but if Punahou wins the ILH championship and a state tournament berth tonight against Saint Louis, that visit will be rescheduled for December.

Te'o said he will visit Stanford and BYU after that, and will not make a verbal commitment until completing all five visits.

In the meantime, each school is making its best pitches.

USC coach Pete Carroll was on the sideline at Aloha Stadium to watch the Buffanblu defeat Kamehameha on Sept. 26, and Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis flew into Honolulu on Oct. 10 for a six-hour visit, just enough time to watch Punahou rout 'Iolani.

"The coaches are allowed to call only once a week," Te'o said, "but they pass the phone around and you end up talking to the whole staff, 15 minutes each. They each have to have their share of hollers."

But Te'o has mostly handled the barrage with aplomb, talking to the coaches as if they were old friends, appreciating their interest.

"I'd rather be bombarded than be sitting at home and hoping for an offer," Te'o said.

Besides, he looks at it as light being shined down on other local players as well as himself.

"The greatest part about this is that it can affect other players from here," he said. "It can bring more attention to the other Hawai'i athletes, maybe bring the college coaches here to see the amount of talent we have. I'll tell the coaches, 'Hey, if you can't get me, then come and get this guy, he's just as good ...' "

HUMBLING EXPERIENCE

Despite all the accolades and praise, Te'o refuses to think of himself as better than anyone else.

"How can they make that (No. 1) ranking?" he said. "There's so many other linebackers out there; I'm just lucky to be in the situation I'm in."

Te'o shows his appreciation by attending Friday pep rallies at Punahou's elementary school, leading hundreds of kids in cheers and songs. After the 'Iolani game, he agreed to a live TV interview only if the entire team could also be in the scene behind him. Then he stayed on the field for more than half an hour to sign autographs, take pictures and trade pleasantries with at least 50 fans, from kindergartners to senior classmates and grown adults.

"His main attribute is his mentoring," said Joe Macatiag, Te'o's uncle and Scout Master in Troop 592. "The majority of guys in his position would think, 'You're just a little kid, I no mo' time for you.' But he always takes the time, he never disappoints."

Te'o said "it's humbling" to be asked for an autograph.

"It's an honor to be held in such a high position," he said.

BEHIND THE FACEMASK

Te'o is willing to give up that high football position in about 15 months, when he plans to serve a two-year church mission.

"I decided to take a stand for who I am, what I represent," Te'o said.

It took similar commitment to earn the 21 merit badges necessary to reach the rank of Eagle, something only a handful of Boy Scouts in each troop achieve.

"It's character-building," Te'o said. "It builds the person behind the facemask, the man inside the pads. It builds a man of honor, a man who is a good citizen.

"That's the kind of man I want to be."

Read his blog on high school sports at http://preptalk.honadvblogs.com.