Utah Football 2025 Signing Class Superlatives

SALT LAKE CITY—Utah football officially welcomed 23 prospects to the program from its 2025 signing class. The Utes added the final piece over the weekend and it served as the cherry on top to a strong finish this cycle.

Of the 23 signees, Utah added 11 on offense, 11 on defense, and a kicker. Utah welcomed signees from Texas (5), Utah (4), Nevada (4), California (3), Hawaii (2), Missouri (1), Oklahoma (1), Colorado (1), Florida (1), and Australia (1). The Utes worked several pipeline states and a few from new territories.

Over the weekend we wrapped up the first round of #UBOYZ25‼️ Future lookin 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓⭐️

📰: https://t.co/mUrmUnaEKN#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/SGWnarwFkN

— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) December 9, 2024

With eight commits over the final days, Utah made one last push up the team rankings. According to 247 Sports, the Utes finished with the No. 38 class overall and No. 5 in the Big 12.

Now that the dust has settled from the early signing period, KSL Sports examines the class more closely and gives out class superlatives.

Most Valuable Prospect – Christian Thatcher

He was one of the bigger recruitments Utah was involved in this cycle. He took visits to many programs, but his focus was on Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, USC, Utah, and Washington. It was a significant win for the Utes to land him over those programs. It was even more impressive they were able to hold onto him. Thatcher was pretty locked in with Utah, but programs- namely Colorado- continued to push hard for him. Keeping him in the class was a big deal for Utah; he was sort of the glue for the class.

Biggest Flip – Jamarian Ficklin

This was a much bigger one than it seemed. Utah got involved at just the right time. In the lead-up to the early signing period, both Oklahoma and Ole Miss started to increase their communication with Ficklin. Each school even made a big push in the final hours, but Utah held on. Ficklin was not only a big addition to the class in that sense, but he’s also a talented quarterback. Some believe he’d be a four-star prospect if he weren’t a lefty. Ficklin is a dynamic dual-threat who threw for 2,300 yards and ran for nearly 700 more. Utah is fired up to have him in the class.

Most Impressive Scouting Work — JJ Buchanan

Buchanan ended up a four-star and top 200 prospect; however, he was unrated at the beginning of the year. He held minimal interest for a time but his recruitment picked up when Utah got involved. This was a tremendous identification by Utah to see the traits and projection before anyone else. He’s a dynamic multi-sport athlete who played both ways on the gridiron. The 6-foot-4, 208-pounder was offered as a two-way athlete but will start out on offense. He will join the receiver room but, depending on physical maturation, may move to tight end or potentially to defense.

Best NFL Odds – Nathan Tilmon

Speaking of good identification, Tilmon is another who made big strides his senior season. He’s now considered a four-star by some services and has the sort of qualities and game that project really well at Utah and to the NFL. He has a good frame at 6-foot-3, with long arms and the athleticism to play safety at a very high level. He plays the game so fundamentally sound as well. He just seems to have the best combination of high floor and ceiling, which gives him the best odds of making it to the league.

Best Surprise – Daniel Bray, Raycine Guillory

Through nearly the entire cycle, Utah did not have a commitment from a running back. Then, in the final week before the early signing period, the Utes flipped Bray from SMU and beat out Ole Miss and many other programs to land Guillory. These two additions helped flip the vibe around with Utah’s running back room. Guillory and Bray will help Utah’s running back room get back on track next season.

Top Sleeper — Drew Clemens, Karson Kaufusi

Both suffered injuries that cut their senior seasons short, so it’s hard to pick one or the other. Clemens is a tight end with good measurable and the sort of game that seems to fit well with Utah’s tight end room. Kaufusi is a big-bodied athlete at 6-foot-5, 267 pounds. After playing offensive line, he made the switch to the defensive line this summer and showed a ton of promise. There hasn’t been a lot of talk around these two due to their absence but both will be counted on at Utah.

Best Fit – Jason Stokes Jr.

At 6-foot-1, 170 pounds, Stokes has the prototypical frame Utah likes in the secondary. He needs to add weight, which Utah prefers to handle in the program. Stokes has the sort of game that Utah really enjoys at cornerback. His acclimation to the next level will be a process, but Stokes was a sought-after talent for a reason. Stokes just screams “Utah cornerback.”

Most Room To Grow – Milz Asiata

Not physically, considering Asiata is 6-foot-5 and 331 pounds, but his potential is immense. He is the most raw prospect in the class, but given his natural size and athleticism, he has a ton of potential. He is a two-way lineman who was going to start with the program on defense. However, it’s very likely he ends up on the offensive side of the ball. Figuring out where he fits best will be an important first step in helping him reach his ceiling.

Best Interview– Wyatt Becker

The first commit in the class, Mr. Becker, was always a pleasure to interact with. Whenever he visited Utah, he always took the time to answer a few questions about his experience. Becker took care of business on the field too. He led Sierra Canyon to three straight Mission League titles and threw for 7,149 yards (68 TD) in his career.

The ‘Hold Onto Your Butts’ Signing(s) – Cyrus Polu, Semi Taulanga

BYU made a big push for these two prospects, but Utah was able to fend them off to keep them in the class. The Cougars simply would not give up and made Utah work to the end. However, these two were always priorities for Utah, and they feel they have two impact players in them. The 6-foot-2, 219-pound Polu is a versatile athlete who can do a bit of everything at linebacker. The 5-foot-11 Taulanga is a 336-pound bowling ball of destruction.

Biggest Loss – Jerome Myles

A silent commit once, for sure, and it was believed for a time that he was silently committed a second time. Losing out on a top talent like Myles is a tough blow. His recruitment ultimately shifted towards things beyond football, and Texas A&M secured the final bid. Utah had a genuine chance at landing a five-star homegrown talent but just couldn’t get it done this year. Aaron Dunn’s commitment flip to USC is worth a mention here too.

Almost, But Not Quite – Jonathan Cunningham

Another recruitment seemed like it would go Utah’s way: Texas linebacker Jonathan Cunningham. His recruitment came down to Texas, TCU, and Utah, and the Utes garnered buzz for about a month. However, Texas took control after his official visit there at the end of June. Utah continued to compete and seemed to have gained an edge in the final days before his commitment ceremony. However, it was Texas in the end.

The ‘What If’ – Nela Tupou

He was among the first to commit to Utah this cycle. He stayed committed until USC flipped him in the lead-up to the early signing period. Utah landed defensive end Pupu Sepulona in his place, but it’s hard not to wonder what Utah might have been able to do if Tupou had flipped earlier in the cycle. He was a two-way athlete who would’ve played both defensive end and tight end. Utah was involved with other prospects at each position but perhaps could’ve made a stronger push for one at both spots. Perhaps Utah could’ve made a stronger push for a pass rusher like Nuse Taumoepeau or a tight end like Kellan Ford.

Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.

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