SALT LAKE CITY—The Utah football program added 19 new recruits today on National Signing Day. Included in the 2017 Ute class are 14 incoming freshmen and five junior college transfers. The positions picking up the most players were the offensive and defensive lines—with four recruits apiece—and the defensive secondary, which was shored up with five signees.
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"Our main objective with this recruiting class was to focus on both sides of the line of scrimmage and the defensive secondary," said Coach Kyle Whittingham. "We feel we were able to accomplish that as well as sign a quality class across the board. It's great to get impact players off the Islands again and Texas and California were both good to us as well. Our instate class actually has six players, when you figure in push forward players and a returned missionary, and we are very pleased with our local talent."
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Included in this year's scholarship totals are Utah natives Bapa Falemaka and Julian Blackmon—freshmen in 2016—and 2015 signee Chayden Johnston, who will report this summer after serving a church mission.
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Utah signed recruits from seven states, led by California (6) and Texas (4). The Utes also drew from Hawaii (3), Utah (3), Arizona (1), Florida (1) and Ohio (1). Â
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Mid-year signees Corrion Ballard and Tyquez Hampton are already in school and participating in offseason conditioning with the team.
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