Before playing his first high school football game, Mario Luna “Torta Power,” a Class of 2029 offensive lineman from Ensenada, Baja California, received his second early Division I football offer from Georgia State University.
At the time, Mario was still in 8th grade and listed around 6'2" and 280 pounds. His Georgia State opportunity came after an earlier offer from Sacramento State and became another important step in a recruiting journey that began before high school.
This article documents that stage of Mario’s development and also explains something families often ask: How does an 8th grader actually put himself in position to receive college football attention?
Class of 2029
8th Grade
Offensive Line / Defensive Line
Approximately 6'2", 280 lbs
Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
Second Early Division I Football Offer
Georgia State Becomes Mario Luna’s Second Division I Football Offer
Georgia State became the second Division I program to extend an early football offer to Mario while he was still in middle school.
His first opportunity came from Sacramento State.
Read about Mario Luna’s first Division I offer from Sacramento State .
The Georgia State offer added another program to that early recruiting timeline and gave Mario even more motivation heading toward high school football.
1st Division I Offer: Sacramento State
2nd Division I Offer: Georgia State
Grade: 8th Grade
Class: 2029
What an Early Football Offer Actually Means
Receiving an early football offer does not mean a player has finished the recruiting process.
It means a college program has identified potential and wants to begin developing a recruiting relationship.
For an 8th grader, there is still a long path ahead. The player still has to enter high school, build varsity film, continue developing physically, handle academics and prove that the potential shown at a young age continues to develop.
Early offers can be exciting, but they should be treated as motivation rather than a guarantee.
Important recruiting note: NCAA recruiting communication rules vary by division, sport and grade level. The NCAA specifically notes that communication rules depend on division and grade, and that exposure, film and academics all play a role in recruiting. Families should always verify current rules before assuming that every type of coach contact is permitted at every age. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
From Ensenada to Early Division I Recruiting Attention
Mario’s football story did not begin at a major American high school program.
His roots are in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, where he began developing as a football player before competing more frequently in Southern California.
His youth football experience eventually included programs such as the OG Ducks 14U and other teams on both sides of the border.
That cross-border experience gave Mario exposure to different coaching styles, different competition and different environments before he entered high school.
But the biggest factor was not simply traveling to more places.
It was continuing to improve.
What Coaches Were Evaluating
At approximately 6'2" and 280 pounds in 8th grade, Mario already had noticeable size for his age.
But football recruiting is not only about being big.
For an offensive lineman, coaches can evaluate things such as:
Movement ability. Can the player move efficiently at his size?
Footwork. Does he stay balanced and under control?
Leverage. Can he play with good pad level?
Hand placement. Does he understand where and when to strike?
Recovery. What happens when the rep does not start perfectly?
Competitiveness. Does he continue playing through the whistle?
Coachability. Can he take instruction and apply it?
Projection. Does the player have traits that could continue developing through high school?
How Can an 8th Grader Get College Football Offers?
This is one of the questions families ask most after hearing that Mario received Division I opportunities before entering high school.
There is no formula that guarantees an offer.
But there are several things that can help a young athlete become easier for coaches to evaluate.
1. Become Good Enough to Be Evaluated
Exposure does not replace development.
Before worrying about followers, graphics or recruiting rankings, a young player needs to work on football.
For an offensive lineman, that means developing stance, footwork, leverage, hand placement, pass protection, run blocking, balance and movement.
The better the actual football ability becomes, the more useful the exposure becomes.
2. Get Quality Film
Coaches need something they can evaluate.
Film should clearly show the player, the position and the actual rep.
For linemen, avoid creating a highlight video where the camera is so zoomed out that nobody can identify the player.
Use arrows or circles before the snap when necessary, then allow the full rep to play.
Include both game film and high-quality camp or training clips when appropriate.
3. Compete Against Strong Competition
Competition gives film context.
A coach wants to understand who the player is competing against and how the player handles different body types and skill levels.
That can come from youth football, all-star events, camps or eventually varsity high school football.
4. Attend the Right College Camps
College camps can give coaches an opportunity to evaluate an athlete in person.
For linemen, this can be especially useful because coaches can evaluate movement, body type, coachability and one-on-one reps more closely than they can from a short social media clip.
Do not attend every camp just because it exists.
Look for programs that make sense for the athlete’s position, age, level and recruiting goals.
5. Build a Simple Recruiting Profile
A young athlete does not need a complicated recruiting website.
The important information should be easy to find:
Full name
Graduation year
Position
Height and weight
School or current program
Film link
Contact information for parent or coach
Social media links
The goal is to make it easy for a coach to understand who the player is within a few seconds.
6. Use Social Media as a Recruiting Tool, Not Just Entertainment
Social media can help coaches discover or follow a player, but it should support the football profile rather than replace it.
Mario used platforms including Instagram, TikTok and YouTube to document camps, training, highlights and his overall journey.
The most useful recruiting posts usually make basic information clear: name, class, position, school, film and contact information.
7. Let Coaches and Trainers Help Make Introductions
Relationships matter in football.
Youth coaches, high school coaches, position trainers and camp coaches may know college coaches who are looking for certain types of players.
A trusted coach sending film and saying, “You should watch this kid,” can sometimes carry more weight than a parent sending dozens of random messages.
8. Have Verified Measurements
Do not exaggerate height, weight, wingspan, speed or strength numbers.
Coaches will eventually verify them.
Accurate measurements build credibility.
9. Take Academics Seriously Early
The NCAA identifies academics as part of the recruiting decision. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
A player who develops good academic habits in middle school will be better prepared when high school coursework begins to matter for college eligibility.
Football can create opportunities, but grades can affect which opportunities remain available.
10. Understand That Parents Usually Manage More of the Process Early
The NCAA notes that parents or guardians often lead more of the recruiting process during the earlier high school years before athletes gradually take more ownership as they get older. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
For an 8th grader, parents should help organize communication, travel, camps, profiles and film while teaching the athlete how to communicate professionally.
11. Do Not Chase an Offer Just to Post an Offer
An offer graphic looks exciting, but the real goal is long-term development.
A young athlete should not choose camps, teams or training only because somebody promises exposure.
The goal should be to become a better football player.
If the development is real, recruiting opportunities have a better chance of following.
12. Keep Improving After the Offer
This may be the most important part.
Getting an early offer means coaches saw potential.
It does not mean the player has arrived.
High school film still matters.
Development still matters.
Academics still matter.
Character still matters.
Can College Coaches Contact an 8th Grader Directly?
Families should be careful here because NCAA recruiting rules change and can differ by division.
The NCAA currently explains that coach communication rules vary by sport, division and grade level. It also distinguishes between calls, electronic communication, off-campus contact and other recruiting activity. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
For Division I football, current legislation places restrictions on when certain off-campus recruiting contacts may begin. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
That is why an early “offer” does not necessarily look the same as a senior-year written athletics aid agreement.
Parents should always verify the current NCAA rules and, when appropriate, ask the college compliance office how a specific communication or offer should be handled.
Film First, Hype Second
One lesson from Mario’s early recruiting journey is that attention is useful only when coaches have something real to evaluate.
A player can have thousands of followers and still not have strong football film.
Another player may have a small social following but excellent film, verified measurements and strong recommendations from coaches.
Recruiting is not a popularity contest.
The football has to hold up.
Using Social Media to Document Torta Power
Social media became part of Mario’s journey because it allowed him to document his progression from football in Mexico to camps, youth programs and eventually high school football.
His accounts gave people a place to follow the training and the journey, but they also created a simple archive of how he was developing.
Instagram @mariolunafootball | TikTok @mariolunafootball | YouTube @mariolunafootball
What Is Torta Power?
The name Torta Power connects football with Mario’s Mexican roots.
Offensive linemen call it a pancake when they put a defender on the ground.
For Mario, it is a torta.
That became Torta Power.
Read the complete story behind Torta Power .
Preparing for High School Football
When Mario received the Georgia State opportunity, the next major challenge was still ahead.
High school.
Middle school size and youth football success do not automatically translate to varsity football.
The next step was to prove he could continue developing against older, stronger and more experienced players.
Mario eventually chose Orange Lutheran High School for the next stage of his football journey.
Read Mario Luna’s Orange Lutheran High School announcement .
What Happened After the Georgia State Offer?
The early recruiting story continued.
Mario later received another Division I opportunity from Texas State, giving him three early Division I offers before high school football.
Read about Mario Luna’s third early Division I offer from Texas State .
Then came the most important step: varsity film.
During the 2025 season, Mario began competing at the varsity level as a freshman at Orange Lutheran.
Watch Mario Luna’s freshman varsity highlights at Orange Lutheran .
From Early Recruiting Attention to the Los Angeles Times
The journey that began in Ensenada and developed through youth football continued into Mario’s freshman season.
In November 2025, the Los Angeles Times en Español featured Mario’s story and his path from Baja California to Orange Lutheran.
Read about Mario Luna’s Los Angeles Times feature .
The Most Important Advice for Young Football Players
If an 8th grader wants to play college football one day, the goal should not simply be “How do I get an offer right now?”
A better question is:
What can I do today that will make me a better recruit two, three or four years from now?
Improve the film.
Improve technique.
Compete.
Go to the right camps.
Build relationships.
Keep accurate information.
Take school seriously.
Use social media intelligently.
And keep developing after somebody tells you that you are talented.
That is what the early offers represented for Mario.
Not the end of the recruiting journey.
The beginning.
Puro Torta Power. 🇲🇽🏈
Who Is Mario Luna “Torta Power”?
Mario Luna “Torta Power” is a Class of 2029 offensive lineman whose football journey began in Baja California, Mexico. Before entering high school, Mario received early Division I football opportunities from Sacramento State, Georgia State and Texas State.
He later continued his development at Orange Lutheran High School, where he began competing in varsity football during his freshman season.
Follow Mario Luna’s Recruiting Journey
First Division I Offer: Sacramento State
Third Division I Offer: Texas State
Mario Luna Announces Orange Lutheran