Here's a closer look at where geographically the class of 2016 came from. People might find it interesting. Utah stretched a wider net in compiling the class of 2016 than they have in previous years. The Utes pulled in recruits from eight different states and Australia. Please note that for the purposes of this analysis, we’re going to include all sign and sends, grayshirt candidates and push forwards. Here’s a look at where each recruit came from:
Utah - (9) Bills, Blackmon, Bolles, Fotu, Falemaka, Maea, Nacua, Pututau, Taufa
California (7) - Burgess, Dana, Fotheringham, Hamilton, Lauaki, Scott, Williams
Florida (5) - Henry-Cole, Huntley, Moss, Simpkins, Thompson
Texas (1) - King
Hawaii (1) - Anae
Arizona (1) - Luafatasaga
Nevada (1) - Hubert
Washington (1) - Peck
Australia (1) - Wishnowsky
In-state recruiting was clearly an emphasis on the class, with nine players committing to join the Utes. Despite the fact that in-state recruits make up the largest part of the incoming class, several will delay enrollment due to missions (Bills, Maea, Pututau) or other circumstances (Blackmon, Falemaka, Nacua).
California was another fertile recruiting ground for the Utes, with seven commitments, all of whom come from greater Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego or the Inland Empire. One positive trend for the California recruits is that Utah faced heavy competition from conference rivals for most of the group, with five of the seven having received offers from Pac-12 schools.
Utah continued making inroads into Florida this class, landing five players from the greater Miami area, all of whom came from three of the most prominent power programs in South Florida - St. Thomas Aquinas, Miami Central, and Hallandale. This is the second consecutive year that Utah has landed a player from St. Thomas Aquinas, with Chris Hart and Tyson Cisrow joining the team as part of the class of 2015.
For the remainder of the class, the Utes focused efforts in the Western United States, landing players from Texas, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii and Washington.
Utah - (9) Bills, Blackmon, Bolles, Fotu, Falemaka, Maea, Nacua, Pututau, Taufa
California (7) - Burgess, Dana, Fotheringham, Hamilton, Lauaki, Scott, Williams
Florida (5) - Henry-Cole, Huntley, Moss, Simpkins, Thompson
Texas (1) - King
Hawaii (1) - Anae
Arizona (1) - Luafatasaga
Nevada (1) - Hubert
Washington (1) - Peck
Australia (1) - Wishnowsky
In-state recruiting was clearly an emphasis on the class, with nine players committing to join the Utes. Despite the fact that in-state recruits make up the largest part of the incoming class, several will delay enrollment due to missions (Bills, Maea, Pututau) or other circumstances (Blackmon, Falemaka, Nacua).
California was another fertile recruiting ground for the Utes, with seven commitments, all of whom come from greater Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego or the Inland Empire. One positive trend for the California recruits is that Utah faced heavy competition from conference rivals for most of the group, with five of the seven having received offers from Pac-12 schools.
Utah continued making inroads into Florida this class, landing five players from the greater Miami area, all of whom came from three of the most prominent power programs in South Florida - St. Thomas Aquinas, Miami Central, and Hallandale. This is the second consecutive year that Utah has landed a player from St. Thomas Aquinas, with Chris Hart and Tyson Cisrow joining the team as part of the class of 2015.
For the remainder of the class, the Utes focused efforts in the Western United States, landing players from Texas, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii and Washington.
