Utah has announced the signing of guard Johnny Maea, who will come to Utah after serving a two-year LDS mission. Utah didn't have to look far for Maea, finding him just down the street at East High. Standing 6-5 and weighing 305 lbs. Maea has a good frame to develop at the college level. Maea has a three star composite ranking on 247 and was heavily recruited in state by both BYU and Utah State. He also received offers from Oregon state and Nevada.
Maea was a key piece on East High's offensive line that helped the team rush for 5,509 yards enroute to a state title. Maea is mauler with a nasty streak on the field showing an ability to pull on runs and block down field, often leaving the defender on his back at the end of plays. He shows a good motor, blocking his man until the whistle is blown.
Utah has been stockpiling big guys for the offensive line and Maea will add to this depth when he arrives in two years. Maea, the top offensive lineman in the state of Utah in 2016, definitely shows the potential to become a force on the line with some seasoning.