The University of Utah has landed talented athlete Peyton Powell, a 2019 Rivals 250 recruit. A four-star recruit, rated a 5.8, as the no. 236 recruit overall, and no. 20 athlete, Powell originally signed with Baylor and left them early this the fall by his own choosing.
This time around, Utah, Purdue, Temple, and Virginia were all in the mix. However, Powell tripped Utah first and acknowledged that it was going to be a tough trip to beat, explaining that it was his best trip even out of the five he had taken last year. In fact, it was good enough, that he didn’t end up tripping the others.
The things that helped seal the deal? Powell chose Utah in large part to the family feel and a great pitch from quarterback Cam Rising.
What the Utes are getting
Powell put up some gaudy numbers as a quarterback in high school, and though he doesn't have a cannon arm, he was accurate and quick to find open receivers. In many ways, he could be compared as a bigger Jason Shelley. As a four-star athlete, Powell was rated not just as a quarterback, but also by what he could do at other positions.
His best trait may be his twitchy athleticism, which he showed plenty of in high school while running. He can change directions quickly and his acceleration is impressive. It's no wonder that Utah can see him anywhere from quarterback, to defensive back, or even wide receiver. From our view, he has the potential to become an outstanding safety or cornerback. Yet at the same time, that athleticism is so enticing to have on offense. All of that will get ironed out over his redshirt year, as the coaching staff will get a long evaluation of Powell.
What this means for the class
This commitment doesn’t directly impact one position or another. The Utes will always take skilled athletes and load up on them, knowing that a position will eventually work out. The NCAA transfer portal is something that should highly benefit a program like Utah, and not be a big negative for them. Look for them to target the portal for cornerback, safety, and linebacker. It'll be an approach that could land them 3-5 quality players per year.
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