WHAT IT MEANS: Kaufusi Commits to Continue Family Legacy at Utah

The Kaufusi legacy is about to live on at the University of Utah. Karson Kaufusi, the son of Doug (Utah OL, 1998-2001), committed to his dad’s alma mater on Wednesday. Doug also recently spent time employed by Utah in their recruiting department.

Karson had offers from Utah, BYU, Washington, Arizona, Washington State, Oregon State, and Colorado State. His Uncle Jason recently accepted a coaching position at Washington, but with his dad’s history with Utah, his dream school was an obvious choice.

He made his intentions known on social media:

What Utah is Getting

Kaufusi is a behemoth at 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds. While he could still pack on a little weight and stay at defensive end, his future will likely be at defensive tackle. He plays football and basketball at Skyline HS, and he is quick and athletic for his size. Currently, he dwarfs his opponents on the line, so it will be interesting to see how quickly he adjusts to the college level. With his talent and his bloodlines, Kaufusi could find himself as an early contributor in 2025, as spending a year in the weight room won’t be a necessity.

As he continues to grow, defense is the plan, but Kaufusi plays both defensive and offensive line at Skyline. His father was an All-Conference offensive lineman.

When all is said and done, regardless of how this class turns out, Kaufusi should be one of its earliest contributors and one of the best of the group over his Utah career.

What this means for the class

Kaufusi is the fifth commitment for the Utes’ 2025 class. He joins defensive tackle Sione Motuapuaka, quarterbacks Wyatt Becker and Shaker Reisig, as well as defensive end Nela Tupou. Utah has three seniors at defensive tackle that will graduate after the 2024 season: Junior Tafuna, Aliki Vimahi, and Tevita Fotu.