Eight days until the season opener and it is another double dose of articles in the UteNation countdown to kickoff series. Here at no. 8, we discuss Cole Bishop. The junior safety has seen action in 24 games as a Ute, logging 19 starts in just two years in Utah and earning Pac-12 All-Conference Honorable Mention both seasons. He comes into 2023 as a captain of what should be another great Utah defense.

Bishop is never one to let the headlines go to his head. That’s a good thing because he’s being talked about this preseason as not only one of the top safeties in the country, but also as a potential early-entry into the 2024 NFL Draft.

UteNation Take

Bishop led the team in tackles with 83 and had the most TFL in the secondary with six in 2022. In 2023, he should continue as an impact player for a defense looking to hit the ground running early this season. The 6-foot-2 safety has a high football IQ and it shows when you see his number near just about every tackle.

Bishop will team up with Sione Vaki and form what is expected to be one of the top safety duos in the entire country.

Remembering Bishop's Recruitment

A three-star safety rated a 5.6 and no. 61 overall at the position, Bishop held 16 offers with 10 being from P5 programs. He was committed to Duke for seven months before making the switch to the Utes.

After his commitment to the Blue Devils, Utah never backed off. He then made his commitment without ever visiting Utah, due to the Covid recruiting restrictions. The Utes NFL history at safety, their overall defensive success and their business program were enough to convince him to head west.