The Hawaii football team found a defensive edge from a California state-championship team.

Mark Blocker, an elite pass rusher and edge defender from Lawndale High (Inglewood, Calif.), is joining the Rainbow Warriors this summer.

“I like everything about Hawaii,” Blocker said. “It’s a real family. It’s not just everybody playing for himself. They play for each other. I like that.”

Blocker is 6 feet 3 and 230 pounds. He played defensive end in Lawndale’s 4-3 scheme and outside linebacker in the 3-4 alignment. He is projected to compete at UH’s hybrid position on the edge.

“The kid can play anywhere on the football field,” Lawndale coach Travis Clark said. “He can play defensive end. He can stand up. He can drop into coverage. He’s a good athlete. He has a motor. He’ll never stop. He’s going to play 100 miles an hour until the whistle blows. He’s a whistle-to-whistle kind of kid. He’s a yes-coach, whatever-you-need type of guy. He’s a hard worker in the weight room. I can’t say enough great things about this kid.”

Blocker said he began playing football in seventh grade, then became passionate about the sport in high school. He attended Dorsey High in Los Angeles through his junior year before transferring to Lawndale last summer to improve his academics and football techniques.

“The kid came over here, put his head down, and just worked,” Clark told the Star-Advertiser. “He’s going to go over there to Hawaii, and he’s going to make you all proud. He’s hungry. He’s excited. He’s so thankful. He’s a loyal, loyal kid. He comes from a wonderful family. They’re very supportive. You’re so lucky to have Mark Blocker coming out to Hawaii.”

In 2018, Lawndale went 14-2, culminating in a 20-12 victory over San Joaquin Memorial in the CIF 2A state title game.

“Every game he showed up,” Clark said. “In big games, he really showed up. … You watch him in the state championship game. San Joaquin Memorial came down averaging (50) points a game. We held them to 12. Mark Blocker is dominating defensively. Every playoff game we played, he’s dominating. He’s so fun to coach.”

Last season, Blocker was credited with 15 sacks, of which eight were unassisted.

Blocker also was used as a situational tight end. “But I like defense,” he said. “Everything on defense is fun for me.”