What it Means: Utah Lands Elite 11 Finalist Johnson

On Friday, the University of Utah received a commitment from fast-rising 2022 dual-threat quarterback Nate Johnson of Clovis HS in California. The 6-foot-2 and 190 pounder has really upped his stock in the offseason and announced his presence by making it to the finals for the Elite 11.

Not long ago, Michigan believed they had Johnson all wrapped up. He returned from his official visit to Ann Arbor, after visiting Utah the weekend of the 3rd. From there, whispers started that Utah made a huge impression.

Johnson announced his commitment on Twitter:

What Utah is getting

He’s an Elite 11 finalist. That says it all. Even at that, a quick look at his tape and it shows a multi-faceted quarterback who is a threat with both his arm and his legs, putting defenses on their heels. There’s improvement that can be done in his throwing motion as sometimes he gets it out fast, but plenty of times he seems to have a longer looping motion. This is something that’s easily fixable at the college level and will add to his arm-strength and accuracy that’s already money from medium distance.

This is a big get for Utah and a big ratings boost should be coming.

What this means for the class

With their 2022 quarterback recruit in the fold, the Utes can now go to work building a solid offensive class around an Elite 11 finalist. That’s a big deal. Johnson joins Ute-legacy commit Aisea Moa and wide receiver Zion Steptoe as commitments so far for the 2022 class—one which is likely to be much smaller than typical due to balancing the extra scholarships and eligibility due to Covid.