Utes Wrap Up Productive Recruiting Month

SALT LAKE CITY- June used to be a quiet month in the world of college football, but not anymore. The Utes wrapped up a very productive recruiting period this June earning six pledges for the 2023 class while also bolstering their 2022 roster with three JuCo commits. With a busy hosting period now over, Utah will be back to primarily focusing on the big football season ahead in hopes of impressing a few more recruits later during fall visits.

As a primer to the crazy June visiting period, Crimson Corner brought on recruiting expert at UteZone.com, Steve Bartle for a breakdown of what to expect earlier in the month which you can listen to below.

 A Look Back At The JuCo Transfers

Utah was on the hunt for a few more bodies in the wide receiver and safety rooms for the 2022 season and they accomplished just that through the Junior College ranks. While the gets may not seem as dramatic as a four-star player out of the transfer portal, Utah does have a history of landing impactful JuCo athletes with the most recent being star running back Tavion Thomas out of Independence College.

Receivers Tiquan Gilmore and Luca Caldarella along with safety Jadon Pearson will be joining Utah in 2022 in hopes of becoming the next great Juco find.

• Tiquan Gilmore comes to the Utes via College of the Canyons in Valencia, California. The talented 5′ 11″, 185 pound receiver will come in as a junior with valuable experience. Gilmore had 31 receptions in 2021 for 658 yards and 10 touchdowns. However, Gilmore is also a productive kickoff (27.1 yards per return) and punt returner (17.5 yards per return) which could bode well for the Utes needing to replace Britain Covey.

SHOWTIME ‼️‼️ #GoUtes @_CoachBump @GregBiggins @SWiltfong247 @adamgorney @AllenTrieu @JuCoFootballACE @JUCOFFrenzy @BrandonHuffman @CFBTalkDaily @UtahCoachWhitt @BradHoiseth @RivalsKillop @GridironRR @Utah_Football pic.twitter.com/H5c5eCuoTr

— Ti’Quan “SHOWTIME” Gilmore ✪ (@__TG7) June 13, 2022

• Luca Caldarella is a guy who most experts feel like never should have been in the junior college ranks to begin with, but not having a senior season in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic shutting down California high school sports didn’t leave him much choice. At 6’4″ and 200 pounds, Caldarella has great size for a receiver and the stats at Cerritos College to back it up. Last season Caldarella recorded 35 catches for 482 yards and seven touchdowns. He will have four years to play three at Utah which gives him some time to really develop into the offense.

Proud to say that I will be continuing my football career at the University of Utah‼️ #GoUtes #committed @_CoachBump @UteReef33 @UtahCoachWhitt pic.twitter.com/NFiFjoWYx5

— Luca Caldarella (@caldarella_luca) June 17, 2022

• Jadon Pearson hails from Reedly College and comes in at 6’3″ and 200 pounds as a safety. More than anything Pearson provides the Utes some versatility in the defensive backfield being able to play deep or on the line of scrimmage. He has also been touted for his athleticism that allows him to drop in coverage or play downhill on a whim.

Ute Nation… IM HOME 🔴⚫️ #GoUtes #JucoProduct @SafetyPride @ReedleyCFB pic.twitter.com/FnNvxjp9DK

— Jadon “jp” Pearson 🏴‍☠️ (@jadon_pearson39) June 15, 2022

The Class Of 2023

Utah has also been hard at work building their recruiting class for the 2023 cycle which consisted of quarterback Mack Howard and linebacker Mateaki Helu before June popped off. While they haven’t landed some of the bigger names in the game so far this cycle it appears Whittingham and staff have done a good job of scouting out under-the-radar talent that has the potential to blow up this fall.

• Dijon Stanely is a three-star running back with high potential out of Granada Hills. Running backs coach Quinton Ganther made a big effort to land Stanely’s commitment during his visit earlier in June. On top of being a great football player, Stanely also has skills on the track running a 10.76 second 100 meter that lends itself to some dynamic versatility on the football field.

I would like to announce that I am committed to the University Of Utah.I would like to thank @UtahCoachWhitt @Coach_Ludwig @coachqganther for this amazing opportunity. Let’s work! #GOUTES #forever22 pic.twitter.com/5KhKiKVtq4

— Dijon “Doodie” Stanley (@dijon_stanley4) June 14, 2022

• Caleb Bryant will be coming to Utah out of Mississippi like Mack Howard- a pipeline that seems to have been developed by receivers coach Chad Bumphis. The defensive lineman checks in at 6’3″ and 250 pounds while still holding promising athleticism for his size.

It’s A Done Deal ❤️🤍🖤 !! 1,000% Committed @MackHoward_ @_CoachBump @bigfam94 @CoachLacey24 @CoachTMc pic.twitter.com/SxbqmvHMNw

— Calebbryant (@Calebb_45) June 19, 2022

• Owen Chambliss is a linebacker out of Corona, California. At 6’2″ and 205 pounds, Chambliss is a good size for the position and a nose for the ball. He appears to be an athlete on the rise in the rankings system and could see a star bump with a good senior season. Before he filled out, Chambliss started as a cornerback his freshman year and then to safety his sophomore year before landing on linebacker his junior year. Chambliss’ position changes add some versatility to his game that could make him a dangerous defender at the next level.

1000% commited‼️ @Cen10Football @adamgorney @GregBiggins @BrandonHuffman @RWrightRivals @247recruiting @UteReef33 @Colton_Swan @CoachMurd40 @SafetyPride pic.twitter.com/1jfTO5MwGD

— Owen (@owenchambliss) June 20, 2022

• Jo’Laison Landry brings more firepower to the Utes on the defensive line, this time at the defensive end position. While currently unrated and unranked, Landry could blowup with a good senior year. He currently checks in at 6’3″ and 242 pounds with good quickness off the snap to be a disruptive force. On a technical level there are still areas to improve in Landry’s game, but that’s what makes him an exciting prospect is that his ceiling is high.

#AGTG %1008 Committed ❗️❕❗️#GoUtes @Utah_Football @SafetyPride @RivalsFriedman @Perroni247 @UtahCFBstats @CEKing_Football pic.twitter.com/BgaSSJeuq3

— Jo’Laison landry (@cantstoplandry) June 27, 2022

• CJ Blocker will be adding speed to Utah’s cornerback room in 2023. Blocker stands at 6′ even and 165 pounds making him a good size for the position, but it’s really his track speed that sets him apart running a 10.47 second 100 meter. On top of that, Blocker brings solid hips and balance which could make him dangerous for other teams while playing man coverage.

HOME!!! @UteReef33 @SafetyPride @Utah_Football pic.twitter.com/lOyG7jqJXQ

— cj.blocker (@1k_cjblocker) June 28, 2022

• Michael Mitchell is a running back out of Florida that came out of nowhere and committed amidst the chaos of confirmed rumors USC and UCLA are leaving the Pac-12 for the Big 10. The underrated three-star prospect has track speed running a 10.81 second 100-meter showing he has good take-home speed. Another “tough runner” type at 6′, Mitchell is a bit of a load who also possesses some moves when a change of direction is needed.

Couldn’t be more thankful for everyone who has helped me through this process…COMMITTED! Let’s ride UTAH pic.twitter.com/WKol7lzTlB

— Michael_Mitchell (@Mike_Mitchell14) June 30, 2022

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