With 86 days left until kickoff, it’s time we discuss a legacy-Ute, no. 86 CJ Jacobsen. His father, Chad, played tight end at Utah from 2004-2005. His uncle Eric Jacobsen starred at safety for Utah from 1984 to 1988, when he was delivering some of the most legendary Utah hits from the 80s.

He redshirt-freshman from Rocky Mountain HS in Meridian, Idaho CJ didn’t see any action during the 2023 season, and now he will look to crack the rotation for one of Utah’s deepest positions.

UteNation Take

The talent is there for the 6-foot-4 and 235 pounder, but he is likely a year away from meaningful contributions. He will need to continue adding muscle and 10-15 pounds. Utah’s tight end room is currently too with seasoned veterans. Luckily for Jacobsen, each tight end brings their own strengths and unique skill sets that Utah will look to utilize. Because of this, and Utah’s willingness to dive deep into the tight end depth chart, Jacobsen may not be as far down the depth chart as he initially appears.

Remembering Jacobsen’s Recruitment

Rated a three-star tight end and hidden in Idaho, a state known for its football, Jacobsen had over 15 offers, and it still felt like he was under-recruited. In the end it came down to Utah and NC State. Despite being a legacy-recruit for Utah, it wasn’t as big of a slam dunk as some would think. Jacobsen valued the relationships he had built with the NC State staff and liked their plans for him. In the end though, he grew up a Ute and played the most featured position on Utah’s offense, so Jacobsen made the call for the Utes in October 20239.