Fresh off of their first Pac-12 Championship since joining the league in 2011 and awaiting their first ever Rose Bowl appearance, the University of Utah has begun to ink 2022 prospects for the upcoming year.

On Wednesday, the Utes landed 16 high school prospects, two transfers, and two returned missionaries.

Here are some thoughts on the class:


A strong finish

Utah had a strong close to its class between the Pac-12 Championship Game and signing day. When Wednesday hit, it was even more impactful.

UteNation learned late Tuesday that Utah had survived the late push by Lincoln Riley and USC to land the services of three-star defensive end Ka’eo Akana. This was after they already felt confident of flipping him from his Boise State commitment. Additionally early in the week, we learned that defensive end Chase Kennedy would be a Ute. The Utes also survived late pushes from Oregon State for the services of both three-star prospects Keith Olson (OL) and Dallas Vakalahi (DT, LDS Mission bound). Both players were uncommitted before signing day, but were considered Utah leans. Olson was a recent USC commit, who decommitted on December 8th.

The big one came later in the day, as confidence started rising that they would land Rivals no. 11 inside linebacker Justin Medlock. The talented back held over 30 offers. At various times in his recruitment it looked like he could go to either Miami or Oklahoma, in which he committed to the Hurricanes over the summer.

Utah then offered Medlock in late November, he visited the Utes around December 6th and decommitted from Miami at the same time. He then visited TCU this past weekend. Medlock’s eventual commitment and then signing, is one of the most pleasant signing day surprises for the Utes, in recent memory.