What It Means: Wide Receiver Donte Banton Commits to Utah

After a week which saw two coaches depart, as well as one of their top targets of 2019 commit to a division rival, the University of Utah was in need of some good news. They got it this weekend, when receiver Donte Banton committed to the Utes while on his official visit.

Coming out of Deerfield Beach High School, Banton had a solid senior season, and was one of the top targets of the 2019 class for receivers coach Guy Holliday. Along with his offer to Utah, Banton held offers from several other notable schools, including Nebraska, Pitt, Baylor, Illinois, Kentucky, and Louisville. He will sign with the Utes next week.

What the Utes Are Getting

Banton is a receiver that does many things well, and it should speak volumes that Holliday was so interested in him. Listed at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, Banton has great size and will be able to play the role of an outside receiver for the Utes. In high school, Banton was a deep threat for his team, but that's not all he did. He showed the ability to take a short catch for a big gain, and was also capable of being a dependable red-zone threat, particularly on slant routes. One of his best traits that stands out on film, though, is how physical he is. Banton doesn't shy away from contact and proved that he is able to drag would-be tacklers for several yards after being hit.

What This Means for the Class

The Utes now have commitments from two receivers in this class, and even though they only have one departing senior receiver, they will still be looking to take 1-2 more, as long they're can't-miss type prospects. Two players in particular that the staff is hot in pursuit of are Puka Nacua and Chase Roberts, who are both currently committed to other schools. If both decided that they wanted to flip their commitments to Utah, the Utes would be happy to accept both as part of the 2019 class.