When it comes to legacy recruits, the Kaufusi name reigns supreme as one of the "first families" of football in the State of Utah. They've gone back and forth from Utah to BYU, but Karson Kaufusi, Doug's son, has signed with the Utes to follow in his dad's footsteps. His father was an elite offensive lineman at Utah from 1998-2001. Karson, however, was recruited for the defensive side of the ball. Rated a four-star recruit, the 6-foot-5 and 265 pound Kaufusi had his season cut short due to a broken leg in his first high school game of the season, but he's ready to go and looking to make an instant impact.

Kaufusi committed on June 12th after a strong Utah camp showing.

Film Evaluation

If the last name doesn’t catch your attention, the measurables certainly will. He stands at a legitimate 6 foot 5 inches and will be able to add plenty of mass to his 252-pound frame at the next level. Kaufusi is a smooth athlete for his size, and he uses his strength to his advantage but isn’t overly reliant upon it like some players his size. He’s got good quickness, and his punch brings a decent amount of thud. He’s also a developed athlete outside of the trenches, he’s a varsity basketball player for Skyline High School and while he projects as a defensive lineman at the next level, he played tight end as a senior in addition to his time as an offensive tackle. He will need some time to develop but gained a great foundation playing for former NFL and Weber State star Marcus Mailei while at Skyline.

- Bryan Brown

What this signing means

The Utah-legacy recruit was the top defensive lineman at Utah’s elite prospect camp, and it wasn’t even close. He was manhandling his opposition. At his current size and his family genes, Kaufusi is destined to be a defensive tackle, but there’s early opportunity at the defensive end position if he can flash enough athleticism and show he’s ready early on.