Utah Football Recruiting Update

Utah has added two prospects over the last few days to the 2016 recruiting class: wide receiver Alec Dana from Chaffey College (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) and defensive tackle Lorenzo Neal from St. Thomas High School (Houston, Texas). Dana is rated as a high three-star recruit based on the 247Sports Composite and Neal is a two-star recruit. Dana is one of the top JUCO wide receivers in the 2016 class. He will likely help fill the role of Kenneth Scott and/or Tim Patrick after they both graduate after this season.

Dana has good size at 6'3", 190 pounds, and he covers a lot of ground with his long strides. He has the speed to outrun defenders as is evident in his film*. He reminds me a bit of Patrick because he is a taller wide receiver who has the speed to go over the top on the defense. He can also go up and get the ball over the defender. He is decent running after the catch, but he is not as shifty as some of the receivers Utah has had. He is a good blocker, which is a key responsibility for Utah wide receivers. Utah beat out Washington State for Dana's commitment. Washington State head coach Mike Leach knows wide receivers, and the Cougars run an offense that allows wide receivers to put up huge numbers, so beating out WSU is a win in my mind.

Neal seems like an underrated prospect to me. He has the size Utah likes in a defensive tackle at 6' 2", 302 pounds. He shows off athleticism in his film* (watch his pick six starting at 0:21). He was also able to chase down a running back on a screen pass. He sheds blocks well and is an effective run stopper. He also can put pressure on the quarterback. He seems like a player Utah could turn into another great defensive tackle in their defensive system after a few years. Utah beat out Boise State, Oregon State, and Purdue for Neal among others.