2006 Utah Football Recruit Bios

Feb. 1, 2006

(Final List)

Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Year	Exp.	Hometown (Last School)
Neli A'asa	DT	6-2	294	Fr.	HS	Big Rapids, Mich./Big Rapids HS
Nick Binks	DE	6-5	220	Fr.	HS	Bountiful, Utah/Bountiful HS
Chet Blasucci	LB	6-2	240	Jr.	JC	La Canada, Calif./Snow College
Joe Dale	DB	6-2	190	Fr.	HS	Irving, Texas/Nimitz HS
Joe Faifili	DT	6-2	296	Fr.	HS	Laie, Hawaii/Kahuku HS
Sean Fitzgerald	WR	6-4	185	Fr.	HS	Mission Viejo,Calif./Mission Viejo HS
Dustin Hensel	OL	6-7	325	So.	JC	La Palma, Calif./Golden West CC
Justin Jones	DB	6-0	180	Fr.	HS	Marshall, Texas/Marshall HS
Pauli Latu	DT	6-1	285	Fr.	HS	West Valley City, Utah/Hunter HS
George Molifua	HB	5-10	235	Fr.	HS	Oceanside, Calif./Carlsbad HS
Mookie Murphy	DB	5-10	175	Fr.	HS	Salt Lake City, Utah/Juan Diego Catholic HS
Caleb Schlauderaff	OL	6-5	270	Fr.	HS	Shelton, Wash./Shelton HS
Corey Seiuli	OL	6-3	330	So.	JC	Provo, Utah/Dixie State College
Matt Sims	HB	6-1	250	Jr.	JC	Lompoc, Calif./Allan Hancock College
Tony Smith	WR	6-0	176	Fr.	HS	Pleasanton, Calif./Foothill HS
R.J. Stanford	RB	6-0	180	Fr.	HS	Chino, Calif./Chino HS
Stevenson Sylvester	LB	6-2	205	Fr.	HS	Las Vegas, Nev./Valley HS
Zane Taylor	DT	6-3	285	Fr	HS	Moab, Utah/Grand County HS
Kenton Thomas	RB	6-2	190	Fr.	HS	Phoenix, Ariz./Greenway HS
Aaron Tonga	DT	6-3	280	Jr.	JC	Pomona, Calif./Mt. San Antonio College
Bubba Tuinei	DE	6-5	230	Fr.	HS	Salt Lake City/Cottonwood HS
Peter Tuitupou	TE	6-4	218	Fr.	HS	Orem, Utah/Mountain View HS
Mombroso Washington	DB	6-1	193	Jr.	JC	Bloomington, Calif./San Bernardino Valley College
Walter Watts	OL	6-3	315	Fr.	HS	Los Banos, Calif./Los Banos HS
Zeke Wily	DT	6-4	310	Fr.	HS	Orem, Utah/Orem HS

NELI A'ASA
Defensive Tackle
6-2, 294, Fr
HS
Big Rapids, Mich.
Big Rapids HS
All-conference and all-region as a senior ... Rivals.com Top 50 defensive tackle ... first freshman in Big Rapids High (Michigan) history ever to play for the varsity ... started all four years ... set school records in career tackles, tackles for loss and sacks ... averaged 12 tackles and 2 sacks a game in 2005 ... Big Rapids won 2003 regional, district and conference championships ... son of John and Laloasi A'asa ... both parents graduated from Hawaii, where his father played football ... one brother and one sister ... speaks Samoan ... name is pronounced Nelly Ah-ah-sa ... full name is Neli Suameli A'asa ... born Feb. 16, 1988 in Pago Pago, Samoa and grew up in the villages of Leone and Futina.

NICK BINKS
Defensive End
6-5, 220, Fr.
HS
Bountiful, Utah
Bountiful HS
All-state in 2005 and region Defensive MVP ... Bountiful High (Utah) Defensive MVP in 2004-05 and team MVP in 2005 ... team captain ... Bountiful won 2003 Utah state championship ... lettered three years in football and basketball and one year in baseball ... plans to serve an LDS church mission before enrolling at Utah ... son of John and Christie Binks ... father is a Utah graduate ... full name is Nicholas Binks ... born Sept. 11, 1987.

CHET BLASUCCI
Linebacker
6-2, 240, Jr.
JC
La Canada, Calif.
Snow College
Mid-year junior college transfer is already enrolled in classes at Utah ... went to Pasadena City College in spring 2005 before transferring to Snow College for fall semester ... prepped at La Canada High (Calif.) where he made the all-C.I.F. first team ... first-team all-conference player was the Glendale News Press MVP ... all-Rio Hondo offensive MVP ... won four letters in football, and two in track and volleyball ... son of David and Loa Blasucci ... father has an LDS Church music CD out ... two brothers and one sister ... enjoys art ... served an LDS church mission to Jacksonville, Fla. ... name is pronounced Blass-oo-chee ... full name is Cheston Blasucci ... born April 10, 1982.

JOE DALE
Defensive Back
6-2, 190, Fr.
HS
Irving, Texas
Nimitz HS
First-team all-district ... lettered three years in both football and basketball at Nimitz High School (Texas) ... son of Joe and Shirley Dale ... two brothers and one sister ... born Dec. 18, 1986 in St. Louis, Mo.

JOE FAIFILI
Defensive Tackle
6-2, 296, Fr.
HS
Laie, Hawaii
Kahuku HS
U.S. Army All-American ... Rivals.com Top 50 defensive tackle ... Kahuku High (Hawaii) team captain ... Kahuku won the state championship in 2003-04 ... lettered in football and track and field ... played the first three games of his senior year at Granger High in Salt Lake City before transferring back to Kahuku HS for the remainder of the 2005 season ... son of Samuela and Thelma Faifili ... parents live in West Valley City but he considers Laie, Hawaii, his home ... last name is pronounced fy-feely ... one of eight children ... enjoys singing, playing the piano and dancing ... full name is Joseph Samson Samuelu Faifili ... born May 16, 1988.

SEAN FITZGERALD
Wide Receiver
6-4, 185, Fr.
HS
Mission Viejo,Calif.
Mission Viejo HS
All-league, all-county and all-C.I.F. Division 2 ... Mission Viejo High (Calif.) Offensive Player of the Year ... Mission Viejo was the No. 2 ranked team in the nation in 2004 and ranked first in California ... 2004-05 South Coast League champions ... 2004 C.I.F. Southern Section champs ... 39 catches in 2005 for 826 yards and 11 touchdowns ... National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete ... honor roll ... plans to serve an LDS church mission before enrolling at Utah ... son of Patrick and Lori Fitzgerald ... one sister and one brother ... enjoys beach volleyball and photography ... full name is Sean Patrick Fitzgerald ... born April 28, 1988.

DUSTIN HENSEL
Offensive Line
6-7, 325, So.
JC
La Palma, Calif.
Golden West CC
Mid-year junior college transfer is already enrolled in classes at Utah ... second-team all-Mission Conference in 2004 while playing for Golden West JC ... one of his junior college coaches was former Ute player and assistant coach Alex Gerke ... first-team all-Empire League in 2003 as a senior at John F. Kennedy High (California) ... earned three letters in football and two in basketball ... son of Mitch Hensel and Linda Fleming ... youngest of four children ... sister Kristy played softball at San Diego State and sister Traci played softball at Long Beach State ... full name is Dustin Jon Hensel ... born Nov. 22, 1985.

JUSTIN JONES
Defensive Back
6-0, 180, Fr.
HS
Marshall, Texas
Marshall HS
All-district cornerback in 2004-05 and all-district kick returner and punter in 2005 ... honorable mention all-state as a senior ... Marshall High (Texas) team captain ... set school records for career interceptions (9) and kickoff returns for a touchdown (5) ... had 51 tackles, 23 pass breakups and 4 interceptions in 2005 ... Marshall HS was a state finalist in 2004-05 and the district champion in 2005 ... son of Leonard and Doris Jones ... father played football for Jackson State ... one brother ... full name is Justin Leonard Jones ... nickname is J.J. ... born June 6, 1988.

PAULI LATU
Defensive Tackle
6-1, 285, Fr.
HS
West Valley City, Utah
Hunter HS
All-American was also a two-time all-state and three-time all-region player for Hunter High (Utah) ... Rivals.com Top 50 defensive tackle ... team captain started as a sophomore ... son of Matt and Salote Latu ... two brothers and two sisters ... name is pronounced pow-lee la-too ... full name is Pauli Ma'afu Latu ... born April 2, 1988.

GEORGE MOLIFUA
H-Back
5-10, 235, Fr.
HS
Oceanside, Calif.
Carlsbad HS
Originally signed with Utah in 2002 but went on an LDS church mission ... mid-year freshman is currently enrolled in school ... first-team all-county as a senior in 2001 ... Carlsbad High (Calif.) Offensive MVP ... set school single-game records for touchdowns (5), rushing yards (313) and carries (20) ... Carlsbad made the C.I.F. North County Division I finals from 1999-01 ... son of George and Sue Molifua ... father played football at Southern Utah ... three sisters ... interested in music production ... last name is pronounced mo-lee-foo-a ... full name is George Taaga Molifua ...born Jan. 25, 1984 in Oceanside, Calif.

MOOKIE MURPHY
Defensive Back
5-10, 175, Fr.
HS
Salt Lake City
Juan Diego Catholic HS
First-team all-state as a junior and senior and honorable mention all-state as a sophomore ... Juan Diego Catholic High School (Utah) team captain ... Juan Diego won the 2004 2A state championship and was the 2003 2A runner-up ... on three regional champion teams (2003-04 2A, 2005 3A) ... four letters in football and three in track ... led Juan Diego to the 2004 2A state track championship ... 2004 state 200 meter champion was also on the victorious 4 x 100 meter relay team ... 4 x 100 relay team broke the state record in 2005 ... son of B. Murphy and Cheryl Harris ... has eight siblings ... enjoys playing Xbox ... full name is TreVon Nurell Murphy ... born Nov. 10, 1987.

CALEB SCHLAUDERAFF
Offensive Line
6-5, 270, Fr.
HS
Shelton, Wash.
Shelton HS
All-stater in 2005 was a three-time all-conference and two-time all-region selection ... played in the all-state game ... ranked in the top 25 recruits in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska by the News Tribune and in the top 15 juniors in Washington by the Seattle Times ... two-year Shelton High (Wash.) team captain ... Shelton won the Narrows League championship in 2004 ... won three letters in football and one in basketball ... set 15 school records in the weight room ... grew four inches and gained 50 pounds his freshman year ... member of National Honor Society ... son of Mark and Pam Schlauderaff ... father graduated from Minnesota and mother from Washington ... dad is a doctor and mom is a nurse ... two brothers ... oldest brother plays football for Eastern Oregon ... name is pronounced kay-leb schlah-der-off ... full name is Caleb Hunter Schlauderaff.

COREY SEIULI
Offensive Line
6-3, 330, So.
JC
Provo, Utah
Dixie State College
Mid-year junior college transfer is already enrolled in classes at Utah ... came to Utes off LDS church mission ... 2002 all-conference player for Dixie State College ... Dixie won the 2002 conference title and Rotary Bowl ... prepped at Timpview High (Utah) ... second-team all-region ... won three letters in football, two in track and one in wrestling ... made the honor roll as a junior and senior ... aunt Peti and uncle Brad Taylor are his guardians ... two siblings ... last name is pronounced say-oo-lee ... full name is Corey Ifi Seiuli ... born Aug. 19, 1984 in Los Angeles.

MATT SIMS
Fullback
6-1, 250, Jr.
JC
Lompoc, Calif.
Allan Hancock College
First-team all-conference tight end at Allan Hancock College ... played in 2005 American Bowl ... prepped at Lompoc High (Calif.), where he was an all-league offensive lineman and all C.I.F. in 2003 ... won three letters in football and baseball ... set Lompoc High records for bench press, squat and power clean ... honor roll ... son of Barbara Sims ... one brother ... enjoys surfing and fishing ... full name is Mathew Earl Sims ... born Oct. 30, 1985.

TONY SMITH
Wide Receiver
6-0, 176, Fr.
HS
Pleasanton, Calif.
Foothill HS
Played quarterback at Foothill High (Calif.) ... 1,570 passing yards ranked fifth in the area ... 17 touchdown passes to 3 interceptions ... set a Foothill High record for quarterbacks by rushing for 125 yards in a game ... won two letters in football and baseball and three in track ... qualified for the North Coast Section and made all-league in the 200 meters ... made honor roll twice ... won the National Punt, Pass and Kick contest ... played for the runner-up team in the Babe Ruth World Series ... son of Ted and Janice Smith ... father played baseball for Chabot CC and the Modesto A's ... one sister and one brother ... sister is a competitive dancer ... full name is Anthony Michael Smith ... born Mar. 3, 1985.

R.J. STANFORD
Running Back
6-0, 180, Fr.
HS
Chino, Calif.
Chino HS
First-team all C.I.F. and all-league ... conference offensive player of the year in 2004-05 ... Chino High (Calif.) MVP ... carried the ball 233 times without a fumble as a senior, when he rushed for 1,800 yards and 28 touchdowns ... Chino HS was the Sierra League champion in 2003-04 ... won three letters in football and track ... 2004 league 100, 200 and 400 meter champion ... son of La Shawn Stanford ... one sister ... full name is Raymond Perry Stanford Jr. ... born May 6, 1988.

STEVENSON SYLVESTER
Linebacker
6-2, 205, Fr.
HS
Las Vegas, Nev.
Valley HS
First-team all-state and all-league linebacker and tight end in 2005 ... Valley High (Nevada) MVP and team captain ... recorded 67 tackles (44 solo) in 2005 ... also had 22 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 4 caused fumbles and 5 pass breakups ... as a senior tight end, had over 400 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns ... won three letters in football and two in basketball ... hoops team won the 2004 conference and region titles ... also played in the band for two years ... son of Worrel Sylvester and Angela Levi ... mother played basketball for Southern Utah for four years ... raised with his two brothers and four cousins from age four to 15 before moving to Las Vegas ... brother Jason plays basketball for Santa Rosa JC, cousin Geno will be a freshman football player at Utah State in the fall and cousin Jennifer played basketball for Cerro Coso CC ... coached in basketball by his mother, who critiqued him after every football, basketball, baseball and soccer game he ever played ... played the saxophone from fifth through 10th grade ... full name is Stevenson Ellis Sylvester ... born July 18, 1988.

ZANE TAYLOR
Defensive Tackle
6-3, 285, Fr.
HS
Moab, Utah
Grand County HS
All-state and state MVP as a junior and senior ... Rivals.com Top 70 defensive tackle ... led Grand County High (Utah) to the 2005 2A state championship ... 2A state wrestling champion as a sophomore and junior ... won four letters in football, wrestling and track and field ... senior class president participated in student government all four years of high school ... National Honor Society ... son of Tom Taylor and Kristin Millis ... both parents graduated from Utah State ... three sisters and a brother ... grandfather (Sam Taylor) played football for Westminster College (Utah) ... enjoys hiking, river rafting, acting and movie trivia ... full name is Zane Charles Taylor ... born April 23, 1988.

KENTON THOMAS
Running Back
6-2, 190, Fr.
HS
Phoenix, Ariz.
Greenway HS
All-state and first-team all-Arizona as a senior ... will play in the Arizona All-Star game in June ... three-years first-team all-region ... set Greenway High School season records for yards per carry (11.6) and points (344) in 2005 ... career rushing totals: 393 carries for 3,093 yards (7.9 average) and 22 touchdowns ... career receiving totals: 78 catches for 1,733 yards (22.2 average) and 19 touchdowns ... career defensive statistics: 95 tackles, 6 interceptions, 4 fumble recoveries and 3 blocked kicks ... 428 yards in returns for his career ... Greenway was the state runner-up in 2002 and made the state playoffs in 2002, '03 and '05 ... region champs in 2002-03 ... won four letters in football and track and two in basketball ... qualified for the state track meet all four years ... son of Kenny and Kira Thomas ... father played football for UC-Davis ... born Aug. 10, 1988 in Sacramento, Calif.

AARON TONGA
Defensive Tackle
6-3, 280, Jr.
JC
Pomona, Calif.
Mt. San Antonio College
All-Mission Conference and juco preseason All-American in 2005 ... Mt. San Antonio College team captain had 8 sacks as a sophomore and 5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss as a freshman ... Mt. Sac was the 2004 Mission Conference champion ... hometown is Pomona, Calif., but prepped at Taylorsville High (Utah) where he was all-state as a senior and all-region twice ... Taylorsville team captain ... played in the 5A state championship game as a sophomore ... participated in the Tonga Bowl in Nuku'alofa, Tongatapu in 2002 ... son of Iki and Okaneti Tonga ... six brothers and four sisters ... brother Joe is an offensive tackle at Mt. Sac ... brother Iki is an artist, mechanic and barber ... full name is Aaron David Tonga ... born Oct. 10, 1983 in Salt Lake City.

BUBBA TUINEI
Defensive End
6-5, 230, Fr.
HS
Salt Lake City
Cottonwood HS
All-state ... Cottonwood High (Utah) team captain ... won letters in football and basketball ... son of Paloma Tuinei and Alex Samuel Tuinei ... one of eight children ... last name is pronounced too-ee-nay ... full name is Tereinga Poasa Tuinei ... born Oct. 13, 1988 in Auitutaki--one of the Cook Islands.

PETER TUITUPOU
Tight End
6-4, 218, Fr.
HS
Orem, Utah
Mountain View HS
Second-team all-state and first-team all-valley as a senior in 2005 ... Mountain View High (Utah) team captain ... 28 catches for 391 yards his senior year ... won two letters in football and three in basketball ... honor roll ... plans to serve an LDS church mission before enrolling at Utah ... son of Paul and Carolyn Tuitupou ... both parents graduated from BYU-Hawaii, where his father played tennis and rugby ... mother is assistant dean of undergraduate education at BYU ... youngest of seven children ... name is pronounced too-ee-too-po ... born Feb. 21, 1988.

MOMBROSO WASHINGTON
Defensive Back
6-1, 193, Jr.
JC
Bloomington, Calif.
San Bernardino Valley College
Mid-year junior college transfer is already enrolled in classes at Utah ... played for San Bernardino Valley College in 2004-05 and was an all-conference cornerback in 2005 ... team captain had 60 tackles and 3 interceptions his sophomore year ... enlisted in the U.S. Army and took part in Operation Iraqi Freedom ... prepped at Bloomington High (Calif.), where he was an all-conference cornerback in 1998 ... 80 tackles and 6 interceptions his senior year ... Bloomington won three straight conference championships (1996-98) ... son of Arnell and Deborah Washington ... first name is pronounced how it looks (mom-bro-so) ... one of four children ... married to the former Tiffany Brooks ... daughter Bayani ... full name is Mombroso Arnell Washington ... born Nov. 10, 1981.

WALTER WATTS
Offensive Line
6-3, 315, Fr.
HS
Los Banos, Calif.
Los Banos HS
All-conference ... "Best in Bay Area" ... Los Banos High (Calif.) MVP ... won two letters in football and basketball ... October Student of the Month ... son of Walter III and Lanette Watts ... father played basketball at Utah from 1989-91 and started for Utah's 1990-91 team that finished 30-4 and made the NCAA Sweet 16 (he was the team's second-leading scorer and rebounder that year) ... full name is Walter Watts IV ... born Oct. 11, 1988.

ZEKE WILY
Defensive Tackle
6-4, 310, Fr.
HS
Orem, Utah
Orem HS
All-state and all-region in 2005 ... Orem High (Utah) team captain ... won three letters in football and one in basketball ... spent his junior year in Samoa and was named the Samoan Islands defensive player of the year ... son of Sefo and Ipo Hemaloto ... both parents are graduates of BYU-Hawaii, where his mother played volleyball ... one of five children ... full name is Ezekiel Wily ... born Jan. 31, 1988 in Hawaii.

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