If I were to pick freshmen that might have a big impact, I would have picked those guys as well. Fano is our highest rated recruit in this class, and Matthews/blocker/Snowden all play at positions where there is some level of uncertainty about the talent level of the returning players.
Two freshmen come to my mind. Spencer Fano could start on the offensive line. If not, he’ll compete for time. I also think Mikey Matthews will break into the lineup, perhaps not as a starter but in the wide receiver rotation.
I also think CJ Blocker and Smith Snowden will push the upperclassmen in the cornerback room. I don’t think either will start. If Blocker is here for spring ball I give him the edge on Smith who won’t join the team officially until fall camp.
I agree with you on the DL and LB groups. Don’t forget that Damuni joins the linebackers and is playmaker. Logan Fano joins the D’Ends. He has dealt with ACL injuries (I think twice now) so I don’t know how healthy he is and/or if the injuries have slowed him some; but he has the size and speed to be a playmaker if he is healthy.
I think we are quite set on S and LB. Ritchie and Bishop match any safeties we have ever had and Vaki looks to become special as well. Three awesome players for 2 spots. Barton, Reid and Damuni may also give us 3 starters for 2 positions. We missed Fillinger the last part of the season, I think his return with O’toole, Ellis and Fano development can give us 3/4 starters for 2 spots. The CB position requires one or two of the new guys to develop to give us quality depth. It would appear that Battle will give us a good option to guard tall WRs in the red zone which would be nice. It is good to have most here in the spring to refine what should be a very good defense.
Thanks for posting this; great news! I was hoping Snowden would get that fourth star. So happy he did. Looks like Lomu got a nice bump too. Can’t believe we got both him and Fano.
As for Lyons, I know it is probably really hard to say no to Georgia, especially now, but they already have two high four star TE recruits signed in this class, plus they are the favorite to sign Duce Robinson too. Lyons is leaving for a year for his mission, so presumably if he returns to Georgia he will be a year behind those guys. It would seem to be an uphill battle for him to get playing time early in his career there, whereas at Utah next year he can slide right in to the vacancies left by Kuithe and Yassmin. I’m sure this has all been said to him and obviously I hope he’s a Ute but best of luck to him wherever he goes.
Some Ute Recruits received major bumps today on 247. Snowden got his 4th star while Fano broke the top 100.
We currently sit at 21st. Our two biggest remaining prospects include Walker Lyons (TE) and Jeyquan Smith (ATH). If we land both of those guys we will pass TCU, FSU and Michigan to 18th! Who would’ve ever thought we’d have this great of a recruiting cycle. Go Utes
Don’t think it will be his last revision.
Fano is a great get for the Utes. We got him from the shadows of LES. I hope he sees playing time this season.
I am not sure why he jumped Akana as the state’s top player. I would love to have got him, but he seems to have always wanted to play out of state.
He is now the number 1 recruit for the state of Utah, and just barely outside the top 100 nationally.
First time in I don’t know how long (at least a decade?) that the state’s #1 recruit stayed in state. So excited that he’s a Ute!
Very good and reasonable breakdown I think, but IMO the defensive backfield will be a net gain. Yes it sucks to lose Clark but we have some studs coming in and I think the value of getting Nate Ritchie back can’t be overstated. I think he and Bishop are going to be an absolute two headed monster and Ritchie being back allows us to do some different things with Vaki and others. I’m very excited for that group next year.
The only other thing I have to add is that I think it is obvious that the coaches have succeeded in getting the tools you can’t teach: size and speed. We have some monsters coming in in both categories. Fano is getting a lot of press lately but Lomu, as far as ratings are concerned, is very nearly as highly regarded. He was a huge get and getting both those guys in the same class is massive. On the speed side, Stanley, Randle, Matthews, Snowden, and Blocker have all been hyped as lightning quick. Pair that with a QB of the future in Johnson who is also reportedly very fast and we create matchup problems all over the field. Might have to go through a few growing pains next year but all the tools are there.
Should be fun!
