Great news on the recruiting front as Utah secured a commitment today from Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, Fla.) athlete, Chris Barr.
I have been high on Barr for awhile; he made my five out of state commits to watch, so landing him is huge for Utah. The 5-foot-10, 176 pound athlete brings speed and versatility to the Utes.
Barr's film* shows a player who really does have the athletic ability to play multiple positions (wide receiver, running back, and cornerback), as well as return kicks.
Barr spurned offers from programs like Louisville, Rutgers, Maryland, and Wisconsin, among other schools, to choose Utah. When I spoke to Barr told me that he chose Utah for several reasons. There is the potential for early playing time for him at Utah. Also, defensive coordinator Kalani Sitake, his primary recruiter, and him have formed a great relationship. Sitake has told Barr that he will play the position where he feels most comfortable, which is either slot receiver or cornerback. Barr also has a chance to return kicks as well.
Utah started recruiting Barr much earlier than other schools, which showed him that he was a priority for this coaching staff. Former teammate, and current Utah wide receiver, Kenric Young has told Barr on multiple occasions how much he likes Utah, and helped bring Barr to The Hill.
When asked if he would be shutting down his recruitment, he told me he was. The addition of Barr marks the second recruit in the 2015 class from the Sunshine State, along with running back Taylor Thomas, who committed to Utah last week. Utah has thus far added two gems from Florida this upcoming class.
*All film courtesy of Hudl.
I have officially committed to the UNIVERSITY OF UTAH. pic.twitter.com/X4eqFTiG3A
— Chris Barr (@2SmoothChris) August 20, 2014