UteNation Countdown to Kickoff: No. 13 Chase Kennedy

Thirteen days until Utah kicks off against Florida means a double dose of articles in the UteNation countdown to kickoff series at no. 13, and this article discusses Chase Kennedy. The defensive end out of Dallas, TX saw action in the win over Colorado in 2022, preserving his redshirt season.

Kennedy spent the last season packing the weight and he’ll continue to do the same in 2023, while still carving out a specialty role.

UteNation Take

Kennedy is someone that the coaches have been high on since coming to campus, and he had a good spring camp. The 6-foot-3, 235-pounder should compete for snaps in deep defensive end rotation behind Connor O’Toole, Jonah Elliss, and Van Fillinger. The defensive end room is full of athletes, and Kennedy will be a solid depth piece despite being an undersized but fast redshirt freshman.

Kennedy has a quick burst and he’s good at shedding blocks —a great foundation for a defensive end. In addition, he has a good motor to help him win one-on-one matchups. He has all the athleticism that the Utah staff wants in their edge players, so while he has some tough competition in front of him, he should be a solid player for Utah for the next few years.

Remembering Kennedy’s Recruitment

Chase held 11 offers as a 3-star Rivals rated recruit out of the fertile Dallas, TX area. In the end, his final five schools were Houston, Colorado, Oklahoma State, TCU, and Utah. Before his official visit to Utah, Kennedy admits that the Utes weren't as much in the picture, but the trip really opened his eyes.