The other day, Alex gave his thoughts on the 2020 recruiting class. Now it’s my turn. This class turned out very nicely for the Utes, finishing at no. 30 in the Rivals team rankings. Though that top 30 ranking is impressive enough, it doesn’t take into account the returned missionaries that the Utes are getting back. With them, this starts to look like a top 20 class. Utah’s team will be young this year and will take their lumps, but with the talent they’ve got, it won’t be long before they’re contending for a Pac-12 championship again—and who knows, that conference championship could come when it’s least expected.

Biggest 2020 recruiting win

As much as I’d like to be original and differ from Alex’s answer here, it would be false to say anyone other than Clark Phillips. Utah lost their entire starting secondary from 2019, and though they signed some other defensive backs with great potential, most of them will need some time to develop before they’re ready to start. That’s not the case with Phillips. Not only does he give Utah an immediate starter at a position of great need for the next three to four years, but the fact that they stole him away from Ohio State, despite the Buckeyes doing everything they could to keep him, makes Phillips the biggest recruiting win of the year, and maybe of the entire history of Utah football.

Biggest 2020 miss

Without a doubt it’s Edgerrin Cooper, for me. I won’t mention Noah Sewell, because Utah was never seriously in the running for him as recruiting heated up. Cooper, on the other hand, was seriously considering Utah after his official visit, and would have given the Utes someone who could immediately contend for a starting job at linebacker. While Graham Faloona and Jeremy Mercier both appear to be solid prospects that could develop into good players, they will both likely need some time, and with the questions Utah has with their linebacker group, time isn’t on their side as they begin their preparations for the 2020 season. Jaylan Ford is a close second for me. He’s a guy that I believed could immediately push for playing time as well, and his flip to Texas stung.

Recruit most excited to watch

There are a number of guys that should be quite a bit of fun to watch from this class, but there’s one guy who’s film keeps jumping out to me- Connor O’Toole. O’Toole appears to have a rare blend of speed and size that should allow him to excel at wide receiver, or bulk up and become a dangerous threat a tight end. For my part, I hope to see him stay at wide receiver. His track numbers are impressive, and his height and length could make him a dangerous downfield threat lining up on the outside. O’Toole may not contribute much right away, due to players like Bryan Thompson, Solomon Enis, Britain Covey, and Samson Nacua returning, but I think he’s got a bright future at Utah.

Earliest impact contributor

I’ll go with Nate Ritchie here. Safety is a big question mark going in to 2020, and though the Utes have some returning experience on their roster with RJ Hubert, Vonte Davis, and Nephi Sewell, the starting jobs are going to be up for grabs, with a number of players vying for spots on the two-deep. Ritchie has the blend of size, athleticism, and playmaking ability that make him a prime candidate to be an early starter, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see his freshman year play out similarly to Chase Hansen’s.

Best Ute career and why

It’d be easy to name one of the four star players here, and it certainly seems that all have the talent to leave a lasting legacy on the program, but there’s a three-star prospect that has grabbed my attention, not only from his film, but also due to glowing reviews from local coaches and trainers. Alex Harrison is my pick for this honor. Utah’s offensive line returns a lot of experience this year, but they struggled enough last season that no starting job should be considered safe during the off-season. Harrison may not win a starting job as a true freshman, but it don't be shocked if he starts during his second year on the hill, after Orlando Umana and Bam Olaseni graduate.

The recruit that will surprise and outperform his ranking

There are a number of guys in this class that are rated 5.5 that should be higher. However, there are two signees in particular whose film I fell in love with: Kamo’i Latu and Faybian Marks. I think both have a reasonable shot to contribute early on, but I’m really intrigued by what Marks can do, given the almost complete lack of returning experience at the corner and nickel spots. Marks seems to have both the speed and change of direction ability to be an outstanding nickel, but he also has enough size to line up on the outside. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get looks at both spots as the coaches try to solidify their depth chart in fall camp, nor would it shock me to see him in the two-deep at one of those spots at some point during the 2020 season.