The 5-foot-10 and 194-pounder safety of Utah State, Alaka’i Gilman, had an incredible football journey. Hailing from Laie, Hawaii, he had a passion for playing football since he was just a child. To sharpen his skills, Gilman spent his high school years at Punahou School, where he was rated the No. 4 recruit in Hawaii.

After finishing high school, he went to Stanford from 2020 to 23 and saw action by starting in 13 games. Gilman has played in four games of the 2024 college football season with three starts. There is a buzz going on about his family, especially when there are rumors about him being the brother of an NFL star. How much truth is in it?

Are Alakai and Alohi Gilman related?

So initially, not everyone knew Alaka’i comes from a family that is full of football stars. But that’s when a few started noticing his resemblance to NFL safety, Alohi Gilman of Notre Dame, who happens to play safety the same way as Alaka’i. But that’s not the thing that ties them. In reality, they are actually brothers. And both of them are making waves in the world of football.

It was not a coincidence that both of these brothers began their football careers and became famous overnight. Instead, it was their father who instilled these skills when they were very young. Asai Gilman also played football back in his day at Stanford, and he was a coach as well.

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The NFL star Alohi completed his schooling at Kahuku High School in 2025 and joined Notre Dame to fulfill his football fantasy. Later, he was declared for the NFL draft as well. The Los Angeles Chargers selected him in the sixth round of the 2020 draft. His journey at Notre Dame was nothing short of exciting. For the time he was there, he recorded 169 tackles, six for loss, three interceptions, eight pass breakups, six forced fumbles, and one sack through his junior and senior years.

Besides him, other members of the Gilman family are also deeply rooted in sports. Aside from the football brothers, they have five siblings: Kawelina, Keena, Makana, Nui, and Kealoha. Kawelina thrived as a soccer and rugby player at Utah Valley University and BYU Hawaii. The kind of competitive environment all of them got early in their growing-up years instilled hard work and contributed to what they are today. Let’s learn how the younger Gilman took inspiration from his older brother to be successful in his football career.

Alaka’i Gilman’s early days

Growing up, both the Gilman brothers found it difficult to access major football programs because they hail from Hawaii, which is quite far from it. It was their biggest challenge to be noticed by major recruiters coming from smaller schools. However, they broke all those barriers and followed their passion.

Alaka’i Gilman’s regular commute from the north shore to school sets an example of his commitment to achieving his dreams. “we’re just small town-minded-boys with big-time hearts who love to play the game of football,” Gilman once said. However, the same culture, which was a drawback to their progress, also helped them.

Slow life living in Laie encouraged young guys to play outdoor plays rather than sitting and playing video games. “We didn’t really have much, so being competitive was a big thing in our community.” That’s how they started practicing football, and it helped them thrive despite facing external challenges. As Alaka’i moves ahead in his journey, his elder brother stands as a role model for him, who achieved everything he wished for, facing all the odds.