The Utes received a late commitment out of the deep recruiting pool in Texas from Deon Mays. Mays has exceptional speed and brings great size at the corner spot at 6-foot-2. Late into the season, he showed the ability to shut down his opposing receivers and allowed zero catches for a stretch of games.

The 4-star recruit from Arlington HS held 9 offers, including Bowling Green, BYU, and San Diego State. Mays flew under the radar a bit and could be a steal for Sharrieff Shah and the secondary.

Film Evaluation

This is a Sharrieff Shah-style cornerback. Mays is fast, physical, and versatile in defending both the run and pass. He has excellent recovery speed and he excels at breaking up passes. With his size and his refined skills, he’s one to watch for as a potential early contributor to rotation. There were some highlights where he could have come away with the interception, but went for the pass breakup instead. That’s not a bad thing though, when you consider the alternative. He’s a really nice pick up for Shah’s cornerbacks room.

What this signing means

A late-rising defensive back, Mays brings a ton of speed to the position. A common theme with Utah recruiting classes is signing Texas secondary prospects and watching them immediately prove themselves ready for the rotation once they arrive on campus. Is Mays next in that group? If he can be an immediate depth piece, he’ll be a nice early piece to the puzzle.