We have 27 days left in the UteNation Countdown to Kickoff series and today we discuss freshman linebacker Hunter Andrews. The 6-foot-3 newcomer arrived on campus early for spring ball and is from the talent-rich Houston, TX area (Magnolia HS).

Utah’s linebacker group is loaded for 2024, but Andrews brings a lot of intrigue.

UteNation Take

Andrews is a phenomenal athlete. At 6-foot-2 and 222 pounds, he has the speed and athleticism that Colton Swan covets in his linebackers. He arrived at Utah as an early-enrollee from the 2024 recruiting class, and immediately impressed the staff. In high school, Andrews excelled as a running back, so it would be enticing to give him a shot at that position, but his long-term home — and where Utah intends to use him — is on defense.

As a running back, his vision and instinct to find open grass and split two would-be tacklers is only going to help him as a linebacker. It should help him with surveying the field and reading the gaps.

Even with Utah’s depth, Andrews could see a decent amount of playing time. Therefore it could be difficult to redshirt him.

Remembering Andrews’ Recruitment

Listed as a three-star running back with a 5.7 rating, and ranked No. 37 at the position for the 2024 class, Utah’s intention has always been to have Andrews at linebacker. Last summer Andrews committed shortly after his official visit to Salt Lake City. From that his recruiting blew up and both in-state schools Texas and Texas A&M made a late push, but Andrews stayed loyal to his commit.