We just had our best recruiting class ever. Who will be the impact players this season?
The leading candidates IMO are: Mikey Matthews, Fano brothers, CJ Blocker, Smith Snowden.and Jonathan Hall.
Logan Fano is sure to get some playing time and I think Mikey Matthews will be in the WR rotation. Based on what I have heard from the coaches, I think Hall may end up being the biggest impact player this season. I hope Snowden and Blocker both get some significant playing time. If an offensive lineman goes down, Spencer Fano could end up being a big-impact player.
We have had so many combos since being in the Pac12.
Spencer Fano finishes the season as a starter on the O-Line.
I am trying to remember if Fillinger had issues before he went out of the lineup? We were doing ok on the Dline with everything but contain on broken plays when the QB runs after a delay. But we expect to be a leader in sacks. I like the sacks but I prefer contain gets improved first. I would be happy for pressure in the middle and Pepa could help that. The pass rush may not have a star but I would be happy with a deep rotation providing very good pressure from across the line, lots of guys.
I am hopeful that Damuni figures in at LBer giving us more depth. I expect that this list will have difficulty with new guys like Damuni, Battle, the Fanos, Pittman, Matthews, and Hall. Each has the potential to over perform expectations. The young CBs, Snowden and Blocker may be better than other instate CBs but will not get notice. May see one of them in the lineup as the year goes by. Becker is a new guy that just may sneak into the all conference team, I hope. Lander will lead the defense, maybe not immediately but will soon do so.
With the QBs in the Pac, the defense that can best pressure and contain the QB will have a huge advantage. I expect Utah has maybe the early lead in this.
I see on social media in lots of places that BYU fans are pretty excited about their “top 20 tranfer portal ranking”. The 247 site rates them up there pretty high – currently at 21.
However, it appears to me that the ranking is higher if there are more transfers, and BYU currently has 20 transfer commits, according to 247, which is well above average, boosting their ranking. Colorado sits as the #1 ranked transfer ranking, and they have 50 transfers. So, really, a ranking that is high is nothing to brag about if the program has lots of transfers.
247 Transfer Portal Rankings
On3 ranks the teams’ transfer portal based on how much talent has left the program by transferring out compared to how much has come in by transfer. BYU is way down there at #60. BYU has had more talented players leave than transfer in, as the average player rating is higher for those leaving BYU than those coming in. Utah is at #31 with more talented players transferring in than out. Losing Logan Fano was a big blow to them. Their loss, our gain. Haha.
On3 Transfer Portal Rankings
It doesn’t appear to me that BYU’s transfer ranking is anything to get excited about, taking all these things into consideration.
My breakout picks would be Logan Fano on defense and Pittman on offense. If Cam continues to lock on to a receiver, it might as well be Pittman.
DE should be a lot of fun.
Van Fillinger – He has potential. Starter since he was a freshman. Hurt last year. He was/is supposed to be the next great DE.
Logan Fano – Freshman from BYU. Before he got hurt, he looked like BYU’s best defensive player. As a freshman. If he gets healthy and plays as good as he can…A better Bradlee Anae? His potential is sky high.
Jonah Elliss – PAC-12 All Conference honorable mention. He just gets better and better every year.
I’d put my money on Elliss and Fano having the best shot at double digit sacks. Some questions with both, but we have three guys who could potentially get double digit sacks. The potential is there. Can they put it together?
Unfortunately, I think Utah needs a couple more to go to get under 85 scholarships.
Per 247 Scholarship Distribution they have 76 on scholarship. Subtract the 7 names who have announced and that gets you to 69.
There are 14 commits who have not made it to campus yet so that gets you up to 83. Transfers Simmons, Damuni and Logan Fano aren’t listed so that would be 86 with another spot needed for Sione Fotu so call it 87.
Of the original 76, I believe that Fua Pututau and Taniela Pututau have retired which puts you right on the limit. The are three names I know nothing about: WR Luca Caldarella and DT’s Pahulu and Lautaha but I have to assume they are still part of the team (Puhulu isn’t on the Utes Roster). I am also assuming that the K Becker will not be put on scholarship this season.
So Utah is somewhere between 83 and 86 and if they want to bring in anymore transfers, some spots need to open up.
Edit: I believe that Alderman and Fonoimoana will be immediate mission kids so that would open up two spots. Otherwise my math should be a reasonable estimate.
Pretty similar statistically to stefanovic. Same size, same shooting percentages. The only downside is that Bajema is a senior and Lazar is not. Otherwise they seem to be essentially the same player on paper.
Lazar Stefanovic will play for the Bruins next year. Can’t fault the guy but I dislike when our transfers stay in the PAC=12.
