Blue Chip success

[2008 National Champ]

It has long been considered established fact that Utah is a great developmental program. And it is true that Utah routinely finishes higher in actual polling than their recruiting rankings would suggest.

I thought I’d take a look to see whether that development mantra was true when it came to the Blue Chips Utah has recruited. My premise is that there are X number of plays in every game and someone has to make them. And a team full of 2 stars should have roughly the same amount of results available as a team full of 4 stars. So is the lesser talented team truly better at development or just distributing those plays to what they have available at the time.

I chose the 2019 HS class for the start date since that is the first one both current coordinators were involved with recruiting. I’m including transfers in during those years if their HS ranking has them as a 4 or 5 star (247 composite). And I’m using my usual highly scientific and not in any way personally biased opinion to rank them based on their time at Utah:
A) starter who played at an All-Conference level
B) consistent playing time with some starts
C) “Just A Guy”. Got playing time but easily replaceable by lower rated talent. A slight step up from roster filler D) Bust. Transferred w/o playing, continually injured or just roster filler

2019

RB Jordan Wilmore (.8921): C
OL Sataoa Laumea (.9011): A
QB Cameron Rising (.9096): A
LB Manny Bowen (.9069): D

2020

DB Clark Phillips (.9744): A
DE Van Fillinger (.9276): B
DE Xavier Carlton (.9100): D
DB Nate Ritchie (.8967): B although a case could be made for C. borderline to date
QB Jake Bentley (.9068): C

2021

LB Ethan Calvert (.9652): D
LB Mason Tufaga (.9027): D
RB Ricky Parks (.9014): D
QB Peter Costelli (.9095): D
LB Josh Calvert (.9144): C
DB Brandon McKinney (.9060): B
WR Theo Howard (.9533): C
RB TJ Pledger (.9543): B
RB Chris Curry (.8924): C
QB Ja’Quinden Jackson (.9663): D as a QB, B as a RB. I wouldn’t argue with anyone who chose either

2022

(here is where we start getting grades that could change down the road but as of today)
LB Lander Barton (.9587): A
QB Nate Johnson (.9124): C
RB Jaylon Glover (.8976): C
LB Mohamoud Diabate (.9510): B

2023

(I’m only giving grades to those who have made it on the field or already transferred out)

OL Spencer Fano (.9564): B
DB CJ Blocker (.9151): Jury is out
OL Caleb Lomu (.9458): B
DB Smith Snowden (.8976): B
RB John Randle (.9000): Jury is out. Bust as a RB right now but could earn grade at DB or move back to RB
RB Dijon Stanley (.8920): Jury is out
WR Mikey Matthews (.9095): B
DE Hunter Clegg (.9196): Jury is out
WR Mycah Pittman (.9578): C
DB Miles Battle (.8958): B
DE Logan Fano (.8933): B

I’m actually really glad I did this. The pessimist in me focuses on that 2021 class and decides that Utah is overrated when it comes to attracting Blue Chips and turning them into ball players. And there is a case to be made that the list is bloated with transfers who just ended up being role players at best or “one and dones” so should they really be included when trying to evaluate Utah’s development ability. Ultimately, I’ve now had it reinforced that the talent level (to the extent that recruiting ratings matter) is actually as advertised and the obvious misses don’t represent the true picture.

[SalUteopia]

Thank you for putting this together. But I’m not sure I’m fully following your conclusion. Are we as good as advertised at developing, or does that seem exaggerated? I’m surprised to see so many blue-chip players on the roster honestly.

[RedUte14]

Xavier Carlton gets plenty of playing time at Cal

[Utesbyfive]

The high school ratings for the 2021 class were put together on shortened seasons due to Covid. It’s fairly widely recognized that those ratings were not as reliable as other years.

[Author]

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