Utah Football Recruiting Roundup: Current Commits

It's an old adage that recruiting is the life blood of any college sports program, and Utah has had its work cut out for it competing for top talent in a Power 5 conference. Of the current commits, what does each bring to the table? How likely are they to sign on the dotted line? We break it all down and give you some film to draw your own conclusions.

Current Utah Commits

Jake Grant

Grant is a three-star offensive guard recruit out of Horizon High School in Scottsdale, Ariz. The massive offensive lineman is listed at 6-foot-4, 278 pounds. His film* shows him playing right tackle, but he projects more at guard in college (though he could provide depth at center or tackle). He plays with nastiness and does a great job of pulling and getting to the second level. He's a smart, high-character kid and will not waiver on his commitment. He does not hold any other offers and may not get any more since he's solid to Utah.

Justice Murphy

Murphy* is a three-star wide receiver recruit out of Evergreen High School in Vancouver, Wash. He is listed as 6-2, 190. Murphy has good size and runs a 4.40 40-yard dash. He also runs really good routes and catches the ball well. He will be a nice possession receiver for Utah who could stretch the field. Murphy has offers from Oregon State, Washington State, Idaho, and Wyoming in addition to Utah. Though his recruiting has picked up, I think he stays committed to the Utes (Steve Smith is his favorite player, and he committed when he got the Utah offer).

Tuli-Lefefe Wily-Matagi

Wily-Matagi* is a three-star athlete out of Kahuku High School in Kahuku, Hawaii. Matagi could play tight end or defensive end in college. He is currently 6-2, 200 pounds, so he'll have to add strength and weight at the college level. His recruiting has picked up lately with Colorado and Washington State both offering him. He was an ambassador for Utah recruiting in Hawaii, but with all the interest he is getting, it will take work to keep him committed.

Donzale Roddie

Roddie* is a three-star athlete from Paramount High School in Paramount, Calif. He is 6-foot, 160 pounds and recorded a 4.31 in the shuttle. Roddie projects as either a defensive back or wide receiver. According to his high school coach, he is the best route runner and cover corner for Paramount High. He was recruited to Utah by Dennis Erickson. Utah, Boise State, and Wyoming are Roddie’s only offers right now. Roddie’s commitment is not solid though. He even went so far as to beg for other schools to offer him on Twitter, so I do not know if he will end up a Ute on signing day.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Can Somebody Else Offer Me Already? What Y&#39;all Waiting On!!!</p>&mdash; DONZALE RODDIE (@_DR8) <a href="https://twitter.com/_DR8/statuses/484361687919632387">July 2, 2014</a></blockquote>

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George Wilson

Wilson* is a three-star wide receiver from Tustin High School in Tustin, Calif. He is 6-3 and 180 pounds. He has great size and plays with toughness, but his 4.6 40 isn't ideal speed. Utah, San Jose State, and UMass are currently his only FBS offers. His commitment may not be solid because he has said he is not shutting down his recruitment and will listen to other schools that may offer him.

Chayden Johnston

Johnston is a three-star kicker from powerhouse Bingham High School in South Jordan, Utah. He is a sign and send missionary, so he will join the team in 2017 and take over kicking duties after Andy "Automatic" Phillips graduates. At 6-foot, 160 pounds, Johnston has one of the strongest legs in the country from what I have heard, and his film* seems to bear that out. On the first punt of his highlights, he boots one from Bingham's eight yard line to the opposite 35, 57 with enough hang time to let his entire coverage team surround the returner. He was his team's place kicker and has plenty of leg for touchbacks on kickoffs.

Zach Lindsay

Lindsay is a three-star junior college offensive tackle from Snow College. He has three years to play two. He has great size at 6-7 and 315 pounds, and he uses this size to his advantage*. Lindsay originally committed to Utah out of high school (2012 class from Davis High School), but he didn't qualify academically. Utah is his only offer (but BYU originally offered him out of high school). There is some concern Lindsay may not qualify academically again, so I am not sure if he ends up at Utah.

Michael Jacquet III

Jacquet is a three-star athlete from Central Senior High School in Beaumont, Tex. He stands 6-foot-3 and weighs in at 185 pounds. He will play receiver or safety for Utah, but in high school, he plays quarterback. He knows that he is not being offered by Utah as a quarterback, which is good, so we will not have a situation similar to Micah Thomas. Utah is his only Pac-12 offer, but he was also offered by Houston, Indiana, Louisiana-Lafaytette, Memphis, New Mexico, North Texas, and Texas State. Block U's own Steven analyzed Jacquett (with video) shortly after his commitment. I have not heard anything to make me think his commitment is not solid.

Cody Barton

Barton is a two-star safety/outside linebacker recruit from Brighton High School in Salt Lake City. He has great size for a high school safety at 6-2.5 and 210 pounds (he looked huge next to Whitt). I have heard he is more likely to play outside linebacker, probably because he likely does not have Pac-12 safety speed. He was hurt last year, so there is not a lot of film on him, but Utah coaches felt good enough about him at the Utah Elite Camp to offer him (his only offer), and he committed on the spot. He is the younger brother of freshman offensive tackle Jackson Barton. Barton will definitely be signing with the Utes.

Brandon Snell

Snell is a three-star junior wide receiver from Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kan. He is originally from Miami Carol City High School in Miami, Fla. and committed to Louisville out of high school. Snell has decent size at 6-1, 192 pounds. His film* shows he has good hands and can make nice moves in space, and clocks a 4.45 in the 40. His commitment is not solid (he has offers from other Power 5 schools, including Colorado, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech). Utah will have to work hard to hold onto Snell. He's a guy Utah needs to keep, since they will lose Dres Anderson, and Kaelin Clay from the receiving corps after this year (and they lost former commit four-star junior college receiver Cory Butler to Kansas). It's imperative Utah lands a guy who can step in and play.

* All film and stats courtesy of Hudl.