What happens when a college star’s public accusation of theft gets turned on its head? For one high school player, a trip to USC’s camp turned into a public nightmare. He claimed it was built on a lie from the Trojan receiver Ja’Kobi Lane.

“I want to address the situation that’s been discussed online and be clear about the facts,” Brawley Maikolo Tuitupou dropped a statement on X. “I did not steal any gear, nor would I ever knowingly possess stolen property. The items in question were purchased by me in good faith, and I have documentation showing that I paid for them under the context that they had been obtained legitimately.”

The 6’4” 175-pounder athlete from Mountain View High School paid a visit to the USC camp on November 8. However, that visit turned his life harder, as Lane charged Tuitupou with stealing his cleats. As proof, Lane even attached a photo that appeared to have been taken by Tuitupou five weeks ago. The photo featured eight pairs of receiver gloves, three pairs of cleats, four towels, a USC jacket, and shorts.

“This kid stole my cleats and a bunch of stuff from the sc locker room. All y’all kids out there just know this is simply unacceptable,” wrote the former Trojans wide receiver, who declared for the 2026 NFL Draft. 

High school players getting gear on a visit? Totally normal. Recruits posing in full uniforms? Happens every weekend. We have also seen players soft-launch their favorite school by throwing on the program’s gloves, keeping fans guessing. But the sheer volume of gear tied to Tuitupou’s name, paired with Lane’s allegations, made things a bit suspicious.

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

“At the time of purchase, I had no reason to believe they were connected to any issues,” Tuitupou took a stand for himself. “As soon as I learned there were questions surrounding the items, I began working to resolve the issue and return the items back to their rightful owners.”

The social media back-and-forth comes at a crucial phase for the high school star. According to On3, he holds more than 20 offers. Fresh off a College Football Playoff semifinal run, Ole Miss jumped into the mix with a scholarship offer for Tuitupou on January 18. Penn State and Florida followed the path, and Nevada became the latest school to slide into his inbox on February 20. But USC has yet to dish him the offer. In such a scenario, how can Lane pull the strings in Tuitupou’s recruitment process?

Paired with former USC wideout Makai Lemon and quarterback Jayden Maiava, Lane was a crucial weapon for the Trojans. His post, calling out Tuitupou on X, caught national attention. As of February 23, the post gathered 1.5 million views.

So, it’s likely that USC would back off in case they had plans of offering a scholarship to Tuitupou. Remember how Texas A&M released freshman Alton Robinson from scholarship after he was arrested on robbery charges?

While the high school player’s future hangs in the balance, Lane, too, was dragged into the feud. 

The high school player got support as Ja’Kobi Lane landed in hot water

According to The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner, Lane is projected to be a third-round pick (94th overall). Going by the projections, the Denver Broncos are likely to draft him. He brings a strong resume to the NFL. 

Lane, USC’s No. 2 receiver, uses his size to win contested catches, dominating defenders on slants, hitches, and fade routes. Did he invite trouble by calling out high school player Tuitupou? Lane is now facing backlash of his own. 

“You might be the 1st person in history post something like this,” former Houston cornerback Jayce Rogers Sr. did not mince his words while reposting Lane’s tweet. “When you was in his position, you did the same thing. We all did, that’s lame💯”

Former Penn State offensive tackle Landon Tengwall agreed, explaining that recruits taking gear during visits was part of the “culture”. While things are sensitive for the high school star as he is about to step into college, it’s a full-on sprint toward the NFL for Lane. Will the former wide receiver regret his move?