PlainsUte

#34 Jack Bouwmeester, J Punter, 6-2 195
Jack is an Aussie punter (which means something completely different there).  In Australia he had played Australian Rules Football for the Sandhurst Dragons.  He trained at ProKick Australia.  He was on the Michigan State roster 2019-20, but did not play. He returned to Australia during the pandemic and…[Read more]

#35 Isaac Vaha, RS Freshman TE, 6-6 268
Isaac didn’t start playing football until his Junior year in HS and rose to the #7 ranked recruit in the state.  Previously he focused on basketball and was 2-time All-State and All-Region in basketball.  In his senior season (2020 COVID-shortened season) in football he logged 17 catches for 269 yards (15.8…[Read more]

#36 jersey is currently vacant  

#37 Faysal Aden, RS Sophomore RB, 5-8 208
Faysal (face-all) is a great hard work and success story.  His parents are refugees from Kenya, where Faysal was born.  He was raised in SLC with 7 siblings and went to West High.  At West he was team captain, and logged 1026 all-purpose yards as a senior, 167 carries for 793 yds and 16 catches for 233…[Read more]

#38 Brock Nawatzke, Freshman S, 5-11 198
Brock is a Freshman from Snow Canyon HS in Santa Clara, UT.  He has recently returned from a two-year mission.  At Snow Canyon he was named to All-Region Team in 2019 as well as Academic All-State; he also competed in track.  He had 59 tackles his senior season along with 2 pass deflections.  I expect…[Read more]

#39 looks to be available after FB Joe Ludwig graduated.

There are 85 players on the list for the best defensive player, 14 teams have two players on the list.
DB Clark Phillips, IIIDT Junior Tafuna
Full list: Bronko Nagurski Watch List

Yes, there are 89 players on the list for the best lineman, but just 9 teams have two players on the list.
OT Braeden DanielsDT Junior Tafuna
2022 Outland Trophy Pre-season Watch List
And once again the Wichita Lineman is snubbed.  Better luck next time, Shockers.

#40 jersey is available after Ali’i Niumatalolo (special teams, FB) graduated.

Cole Bishop and Clark Phillips, III and on 2022 watch list for Jim Thorpe award for best player in defensive secondary.
Rare for two on a single team to be named to any watch list, and both Bishop and Phillips are only sophomores.  There is only one other player on the watch list in the Pac-12, Kyu Blu Kelly of Stanford.
Jim Thorpe Pre-Season…[Read more]

#41 Jonathon Johnson, Freshman RB, 6-2 278
Jon Johnson, son of Jerome Johnson (Okla 1982-83 and USU 1984-85 basketball), transferred in from Nouthwestern Oklahoma State where he was on the football team in 2020 but their season was cancelled due to COVID.  His brother, Nate, Freshman QB, is also a Utah newcomer.  Jon played for Clovis HS in…[Read more]

#42 is vacant following the departure of DE Mika Tafua to the Dallas Cowboys.
6 Weeks to Kickoff!

#43 Gavin Nawahine, RS Freshman DE, 6-2, 247
Gavin is a walk-on from Meridian, Idaho, Rocky Mountain HS after serving a 2-year mission in Samoa.  At RMHS he was a first-team all-conference selection as a senior.   His older brother, Spanky, and grandfather, Bill Cravens, played football at Utah, and his sisters, Malia (Utah 2013-17) and Valerie…[Read more]

Award for best TE…   others of interest to Ute Fans…
Camren McDonald, FloridaBenjamin Yurosek, StanfordTerrance Ferguson, OregonBrady Russell, ColoradoLuke Musgrave, Oregon StateDevin Culp, WashingtonMalcom Epps, USC
Full Watchlist, John Mackey Award 2022

#44 is vacant so I’ll leave you this pic of #44 LB Joe Jianonni (Utah 2003-2007).

Not too big of a deal since 75 players are named.
Also on the watch list in the Pac-12:
Zach Charbonnet (Sr.), UCLAByron Cardwell (So.), OregonTravis Dye (Sr.), USCDeshaun Fenwick (Jr.), Oregon StateAlex Fontenot (Sr.), ColoradoDamien Moore (Jr.), CalE.J. Smith (Jr.), StanfordXazavian Valladay (Sr.), Arizona State
Arizona, Washington and…[Read more]

#45 jersey is vacant after Sione Tuha, who was a 2020 walk-on from Provo HS, is no longer on the roster.   Can’t find any further info on Tuha.

Two-for-Tuesday…
#46 Hayden Erickson, RS Freshman TE, 6-2, 254
Hayden is from Lehi, Utah via a 2-year mission in Chile.  He played football and basketball at Lehi HS, graduating in 2018.  His senior year he play OL and DE, recording 13 TFL, 7 sacks among his 37 tackles.   He walked-on at Utah in Spring, 2021, and did not see action during the…[Read more]

#47 Miki Sugururaga, RS Sophomore DE, 6-4, 265
Miki Sugururaga (me-key soo-ga-too-wrong-guh) hails from Kaneohe, Hawaii where he attended Punahou School.  At Punahou School he was named 2016 ILH Division I Defensive MVP and first-team USA Today All-USA Hawaii.  He also competed in Track & Field, discus and shot put.   At Utah he redshirted in…[Read more]