A junior college All-America linebacker is joining the University of Hawaii football team.

Demarii Blanks has accepted a scholarship offer from the Rainbow Warriors, filed his application, and is set to enroll next week. UH’s spring semester began on Monday with only online classes. Blanks, who will participate in the offseason conditioning program and spring training, will have two seasons of football eligibility with the Warriors.

Blanks said the ties between College of San Mateo, where he completed his second season, and UH, as well as the Warriors’ extensive interest, were factors in his decision. “Whoever bet on me first, I was going to rock with them,” Blanks said.

Blanks, who is 6 feet and 235 pounds, is projected to compete at mike linebacker for the Warriors.

Blanks was named to the California Community College Athletic Association’s first team. Selection to the 68-school CCCAA first team is recognized as being an All-American. Blanks also was named most valuable defensive player of the National Bay-6 league.

“Our conference is arguably No. 1 in the country,” San Mateo coach Tim Tulloch said. “It’s kind of like the SEC of junior college football. He led us to the No. 1 defense in the state.”

The Bulldogs yielded 11.0 points per game. In nine games, Blanks amassed 42 tackles, including 10 for losses, three sacks, and forced two fumbles. He scored on a pick-6.

“He’s twitchy,” Tulloch said. “He plays fast and physical. He moves like he’s 210, 215 pounds, but he’s really 235. If you watch every (video) clip, when he hits a back, the back goes backwards. He’s got that extra snap. He’ll sit down offensive linemen. He’s got that power and snap that’s hard to find.”

Blanks was a running back as a freshman. But when he was used on kickoff coverage, he caught the attention of the coaches. “He started absolutely destroying guys,” Tulloch said. “The kid has instinct and pop that’s hard to find. … I thought he could be a really good linebacker. It was instant. The way he tracks the ball. His angles. The rest is history.”

Of the position switch, Blanks said, “it came down to wanting to hit people rather than be hit.”

Tulloch said Blanks should make an easy transition to UH. “He’s one of the most liked guys in our program,” Tulloch said. “He always has a smile on his face. He has great energy. Great teammate. In the locker room, those guys love him. He’s close with O-linemen, and the DBs, and the specialists. He’s one of those guys who brings people together.”

Blanks’ San Mateo teammate, long-snapper Scotty Atkinson, committed to UH last week. Atkinson arrived in Honolulu on Monday.

“That guy is accurate and fires missiles,” Tulloch said of Atkinson’s snaps. “He is a gem. He’s a really good athlete, so he can cover kicks on punts. He was an under-sized O-lineman, so he’s tough. He can snap and block.”