Same as the offense, here's everyone I expect on defense. Again, no early NFL entries, but I'll list the graduates and the transfers (in and out) along with recruits. No missionaries, because I don't know when they're returning.
Defensive End: Fillinger and O'Toole graduated, Taufatofua and Akana transferred (Taufatofua to SJSU and Akana to UCLA but apparently he's already leaving there too)
Logan Fano (JR). 20 tackles, 7 TFL, 2.5 sacks
Paul Fitzgerald (JR). 4 tackles last year on 86 snaps.
John Henry Daley (SO). 4 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack.
Kash Dillon (RFR). Played 10 snaps last year, had 2 tackles.
Elijah Elliss (RFR). No defensive snaps, but played 4 games on ST.
Karson Kaufusi (FR). 4* with offers from Arizona, BYU, ORST, UW, WSU
Pupualil Sepulona (FR). 3* with his only P5 offer from Utah
Fano is a good player and hopefully this is the year he puts it all together. Fitzgerald was very good at USU but didn't have a huge year last year. Other than those two, the DEs are pretty young and inexperienced.
Defensive Tackle: Tafuna and Fotu graduated, Pepa and Tanuvasa transferred (to UW and BYU respectively)
Aliki Vimahi (SR). I'm not 100% I'm counting correctly, but Vimahi only played 4 games this year, and I don't think he redshirted before, so he should have 1 season left.
Jonah Lea'ea (SO). Played 52 snaps this year, had 3 QB pressures and 2 tackles.
Bobby Piland (SO). Hasn't played on Defense yet.
Dallas Vakalahi (SO). Played 249 snaps as a true FR with 9 QB pressures, 18 tackles, and 2 sacks.
Sione Motuapuaka (FR). 3* with Utah as his only P5 offer.
Semi Taulanga (FR). 3* with offers from BYU, UH, ORST, Pitt, UCLA, and WSU.
DT is going to be a work in progress all season. Vimahi is a good player and Vakalahi had a good FR season, but there's not much experience or production available.
Linebacker: Damuni, Reid, and Calvert graduated, Fotu transferred (to Houston) and Ofahengaue entered the portal.
Lander Barton (SR). 763 snaps, 63 tackles, 2 sacks, 19 QB pressures, 2 INT.
Moroni Anae (SR). Played 8 snaps last year, no stats.
Johnathan Hall (JR). 337 snaps last year, 7 QB pressures, 34 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT.
Trey Reynolds (JR). 27 snaps last year, 3 tackles, 1 QB pressure.
Kana'i Lopes (RFR). Played only on ST.
Lance Holtzclaw (JR). Transfer from UW, played 114 snaps last year and had 11 QB pressures, 8 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack (might also play DE).
Jaxson Jones (RFR). Transfer from Oregon, played 1 snaps last year and had an assisted tackle (might also play DE).
Christian Thatcher (FR). 4* with offers from Arizona, ASU, Cal, CU, KU, MSU, Mizzou, NW, OU, Oregon, ORST, ATM, UCLA, USC, UW, WSU, WVU
Maximum Fonoimoana (FR). 3* with offers from Arizona, Cal, ORST, WSU
Cyrus Polu (FR). 3* with offers from Arizona, ASU, BYU, Cal, MSU, Stanford, UCLA
Barton can cover a lot of experience gaps, and Hall played well after moving over from safety, but the depth is limited. The transfers are both listed at around 225 lbs, but they may both be big enough to play DE instead of LB.
Cornerback: Vaughn and K Johnson graduated, Calhoun transferred to Bama, Blocker and Randle entered the portal but I don't know if they've found spots. I'm going to list all DB recruits at corner, but some may play S (or WR).
Smith Snowden (JR). 644 snaps, 44 tackles, 6 PBU, 2 INT
Elijah Davis (JR). 421 snaps, 30 tackles, 2 PBU, 2 INT
Quimari Shemwell (SO). 37 snaps, 1 tackle
Sammie Hunter (RFR). No snaps.
LaTristan Thompson (RFR). No snaps.
Donovan Saunders (JR). Transfer from ATM played 33 snaps for them last year (and ~700 at Cal Poly the two years prior). 2 tackles
Blake Cotton (JR). Transfer from UC Davis played 229 snaps last year, 25 tackles, 3 PBU.
Deon Mays (FR). 4* with only other P5 offer from BYU
Jason Stokes, Jr. (FR). 3* with offers from Arizona, Arkansas, FSU, UH, LSU, TCU, TTech
Mana Carvalho (FR). 3* with offers from Arizona, Cal, WSU
Nathan Tilmon (FR). 3* with offers from ASU, Arkansas, Baylor, UH, KSU, MSU, SMU, TCU, Texas, TTech
Shelton Fuller (FR). 3* with offers from Baylor, BYU, UH, ORST, TTech, Vandy
Daniel Bray (FR). 3* with offers from Arizona, Cal, UH, Iowa, Pitt, SMU, TCU, TTech
Safeties: Gilman graduated
Tao Johnson (JR). 744 snaps, 67 tackles, 5 PBU, 1 INT.
Rabbit Evans (SR). 256 snaps, 31 tackles.
Nate Richie (JR). 209 snaps, 14 tackles.
Jackson Bennee (SO). 9 snaps, 1 tackle
Jeilani Davis (RFR). Hasn't played yet.
There's a lot of talent in the secondary, with several players looking like superstars in the making. Corner is a little concerning and there's not much depth, but Snowden and Davis both played well last year.
Unlike the offense, where there's a toon of experience on the line, Utah's DL has some talent but not a ton of experience, and there's much more experienced production at the skill positions.
Defensive End: Fillinger and O'Toole graduated, Taufatofua and Akana transferred (Taufatofua to SJSU and Akana to UCLA but apparently he's already leaving there too)
Logan Fano (JR). 20 tackles, 7 TFL, 2.5 sacks
Paul Fitzgerald (JR). 4 tackles last year on 86 snaps.
John Henry Daley (SO). 4 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack.
Kash Dillon (RFR). Played 10 snaps last year, had 2 tackles.
Elijah Elliss (RFR). No defensive snaps, but played 4 games on ST.
Karson Kaufusi (FR). 4* with offers from Arizona, BYU, ORST, UW, WSU
Pupualil Sepulona (FR). 3* with his only P5 offer from Utah
Fano is a good player and hopefully this is the year he puts it all together. Fitzgerald was very good at USU but didn't have a huge year last year. Other than those two, the DEs are pretty young and inexperienced.
Defensive Tackle: Tafuna and Fotu graduated, Pepa and Tanuvasa transferred (to UW and BYU respectively)
Aliki Vimahi (SR). I'm not 100% I'm counting correctly, but Vimahi only played 4 games this year, and I don't think he redshirted before, so he should have 1 season left.
Jonah Lea'ea (SO). Played 52 snaps this year, had 3 QB pressures and 2 tackles.
Bobby Piland (SO). Hasn't played on Defense yet.
Dallas Vakalahi (SO). Played 249 snaps as a true FR with 9 QB pressures, 18 tackles, and 2 sacks.
Sione Motuapuaka (FR). 3* with Utah as his only P5 offer.
Semi Taulanga (FR). 3* with offers from BYU, UH, ORST, Pitt, UCLA, and WSU.
DT is going to be a work in progress all season. Vimahi is a good player and Vakalahi had a good FR season, but there's not much experience or production available.
Linebacker: Damuni, Reid, and Calvert graduated, Fotu transferred (to Houston) and Ofahengaue entered the portal.
Lander Barton (SR). 763 snaps, 63 tackles, 2 sacks, 19 QB pressures, 2 INT.
Moroni Anae (SR). Played 8 snaps last year, no stats.
Johnathan Hall (JR). 337 snaps last year, 7 QB pressures, 34 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT.
Trey Reynolds (JR). 27 snaps last year, 3 tackles, 1 QB pressure.
Kana'i Lopes (RFR). Played only on ST.
Lance Holtzclaw (JR). Transfer from UW, played 114 snaps last year and had 11 QB pressures, 8 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack (might also play DE).
Jaxson Jones (RFR). Transfer from Oregon, played 1 snaps last year and had an assisted tackle (might also play DE).
Christian Thatcher (FR). 4* with offers from Arizona, ASU, Cal, CU, KU, MSU, Mizzou, NW, OU, Oregon, ORST, ATM, UCLA, USC, UW, WSU, WVU
Maximum Fonoimoana (FR). 3* with offers from Arizona, Cal, ORST, WSU
Cyrus Polu (FR). 3* with offers from Arizona, ASU, BYU, Cal, MSU, Stanford, UCLA
Barton can cover a lot of experience gaps, and Hall played well after moving over from safety, but the depth is limited. The transfers are both listed at around 225 lbs, but they may both be big enough to play DE instead of LB.
Cornerback: Vaughn and K Johnson graduated, Calhoun transferred to Bama, Blocker and Randle entered the portal but I don't know if they've found spots. I'm going to list all DB recruits at corner, but some may play S (or WR).
Smith Snowden (JR). 644 snaps, 44 tackles, 6 PBU, 2 INT
Elijah Davis (JR). 421 snaps, 30 tackles, 2 PBU, 2 INT
Quimari Shemwell (SO). 37 snaps, 1 tackle
Sammie Hunter (RFR). No snaps.
LaTristan Thompson (RFR). No snaps.
Donovan Saunders (JR). Transfer from ATM played 33 snaps for them last year (and ~700 at Cal Poly the two years prior). 2 tackles
Blake Cotton (JR). Transfer from UC Davis played 229 snaps last year, 25 tackles, 3 PBU.
Deon Mays (FR). 4* with only other P5 offer from BYU
Jason Stokes, Jr. (FR). 3* with offers from Arizona, Arkansas, FSU, UH, LSU, TCU, TTech
Mana Carvalho (FR). 3* with offers from Arizona, Cal, WSU
Nathan Tilmon (FR). 3* with offers from ASU, Arkansas, Baylor, UH, KSU, MSU, SMU, TCU, Texas, TTech
Shelton Fuller (FR). 3* with offers from Baylor, BYU, UH, ORST, TTech, Vandy
Daniel Bray (FR). 3* with offers from Arizona, Cal, UH, Iowa, Pitt, SMU, TCU, TTech
Safeties: Gilman graduated
Tao Johnson (JR). 744 snaps, 67 tackles, 5 PBU, 1 INT.
Rabbit Evans (SR). 256 snaps, 31 tackles.
Nate Richie (JR). 209 snaps, 14 tackles.
Jackson Bennee (SO). 9 snaps, 1 tackle
Jeilani Davis (RFR). Hasn't played yet.
There's a lot of talent in the secondary, with several players looking like superstars in the making. Corner is a little concerning and there's not much depth, but Snowden and Davis both played well last year.
Unlike the offense, where there's a toon of experience on the line, Utah's DL has some talent but not a ton of experience, and there's much more experienced production at the skill positions.
