Reviewing the Roster: Offensive Line, Wide Receivers & Tight Ends

Reviewing the Roster: Offensive Line, Wide Receivers & Tight Ends

3/29/2021 4:26 PM | Football

The Utah Football offense will see eight starters along with key contributors grind it out this spring to showcase the returning talent that will prove to be an electric unit come this fall.

That electricity stems from high-flying receivers, five returning starters at the offensive line position, a living and breathing video game, and one of the most versatile athletes in the country at tight end.

RETURNING UTES
Utah’s offensive line returns a combined 98 starts with all five starters from 2020 getting in key practice time this spring. All-Pac-12 offensive linemen Nick Ford (1st team) and Sataoa Laumea (2nd team) return this spring along with talented and experience center Orlando Umana, who has the most playing experience on the team with 40 games and 26 starts.

Utah will also see the return of starting wide receivers Solomon Enis and Britain Covey with Enis starting all five games in 2020. Covey, who earned first-team All-Pac-12 returner and honorable mention receiver last season, will look to play a full slate of games after battling injuries the last two seasons.

At tight end, Utah fans will get to see the dynamic play of Brant Kuithe once again after her earned second-team All-Pac-12 in 2020 when he ranked No. 4 among tight ends in the FBS in receptions per game (5.). Joining Kuithe will be Cole Fotheringham and Dalton Kincaid, with Fotheringham starting all 19 games over the span of the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

NEWCOMER NOTES
While they may not be new to the Utah program, Utah’s wide receiver room got more talent during the offseason when Ben Renfro and Caine Savage made the move from defensive back to receiver, joining true freshman Makai Cope who enrolled early out of high school.

QUICK HITS ON UTAH’S SPRING OL/TE/WR DEPTH CHART

68 :: Jaren Kump :: Left Tackle :: 6-5, 305, Fr. :: Riverton, Utah (Herriman HS)
Started all five games for Utah at right tackle in 2020 … Utah averaged 5.1 yards per rush in 2020 which ranked third in the Pac-12 and 24th in the FBS, also only allowing 1.4 sacks per game which ranked third in the league.

72 :: Luke Felix-Fualalo :: Left Tackle :: 6-7, 311, R-Fr. :: Brisbane, Australia (Mater Dei HS)
Has played in four games for Utah, seeing action in three in 2020 on special teams and in one in 2019 as a true freshman … a native of Australia, moved to the U.S. to play football … had never played football until 2017 when he played at Cathedral HS.

71 :: Braeden Daniels :: Left Guard :: 6-4, 310, So. :: Carrollton, Texas (Hebron HS)
Has played in 21 games at Utah with 15 starts … played in all five games in 2020 after starting all 14 games at left guard in 2019 … was the first freshman offensive lineman in the Kyle Whittingham era to start every game in a season (2019).

51 :: Keaton Bills :: Left Guard :: 6-4, 313, R-Fr. :: Draper, Utah (Corner Canyon HS)
Began his career at Utah as a defensive lineman, moving to offense in the spring of 2019 … started the first four games of 2020 at left guard … rated the No. 2 defensive end in the state of Utah out of high school.

55 :: Nick Ford :: Center :: 6-5, 315, Jr. :: San Pedro, Calif. (San Pedro HS)
Has started at every position on the offensive line … 30 career games with 26 starts … two-time All-Pac-12 selection, earning first-team in 2020 … is one of just two FBS offensive linemen returning in 2021 that have started at every position on the line … started on the offensive line when Utah had back-to-back seasons with 1,000-yard rushers (2018, 2019).

50 :: Orlando Umana :: Center :: 6-4, 311, Sr. :: Sacramento, Calif. (Grant HS)
Enters the spring with the most playing experience on the line with 40 career games and 26 starts (22 at center, 4 at LG) … earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention in 2019 when he started 12 games at center in a season that the Utes ranked first in the Pac-12 in rushing offense.

78 :: Sataoa Laumea :: Right Guard :: 6-4, 305, R-Fr. :: Rialto, Calif. (Eisenhower HS)
All-Pac-12 second-team as a redshirt freshman in 2020, starting all five games at right guard … also played in one game as a true freshman in 2019 … was a four-star recruit out of Eisenhower HS, earning All-CIF Southern Section Division 10 Offensive Player of the Year as a senior.

53 :: Johnny Maea :: Right Guard :: 6-4, 310, So. :: Salt Lake City, Utah (East HS)
Has played in 10 games as a Ute, starting at right guard against BYU in 2019 … played in nine games in 2019 … rated the No. 7 overall recruit in the state of Utah out of high school, earning all-state and first-team All-USA Utah football team as a senior.

69 :: Simi Moala :: Right Tackle :: 6-7, 312, So. :: Inglewood, Calif. (Cathedral HS)
Has seen action in 19 games as a Ute, starting in 15 (3 LT, 12 RT) … started four games in 2020 and in 12 in 2019 … earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention in 2019 as a redshirt freshman … had 117 career tackles in high school where he was a three-star defensive end.

77 :: Bamidele Olaseni :: Right Tackle :: 6-7, 335, Sr. :: London, England (Garden City CC)
Played in all five games on special teams in 2020 … came to Utah as the No. 9 rated JUCO offensive tackle in the country out of Garden City Community College … NJCAA All-American as a sophomore … played for London Blitz in the British American Football Association in London.

89 :: Cole Fotheringham :: Tight End :: 6-4, 245, Jr. :: San Clemente, Calif. (San Clemente HS)
33 career games at Utah with 28 starts, starting in 20 consecutive games through 2020 … averaging 10.8 yards per catch as a Ute … career-high 190 receiving yards and two touchdowns (17 catches) as a true freshman in 2018 … integral in Utah’s blocking game with Utah having a 1,000-yard rusher in two of his three seasons.

86 :: Dalton Kincaid :: Tight End :: 6-4, 240, Jr. :: Las Vegas, Nev. (San Diego)
Played in all five games in 2020, starting against Washington … came to Utah from the University of San Diego (FCS) where he was an AP and Hero Sports All-American in 2019 … led all FCS tight ends in yards per catch in 2019, also ranking second among FCS tight ends in receiving yards (835) and receiving yards per game (69.6).

88 :: Brant Kuithe :: Tight End :: 6-2, 230, Jr. :: Katy, Texas (Cinco Ranch HS)
Two-time All-Pac-12 tight end has played in 33 games with 14 starts at Utah … has led Utah in receptions in three straight seasons … earned Pro Football Focus All-America third-team in 2019 after ranking second among FBS tight ends in yards per reception (17.71), also ranking first among TEs in total touchdowns (9) … had 602 receiving yards (6 TD) and 102 rushing yards (3 TD) in 2019.

40 :: Ali’i Niumatalolo :: Tight End :: 6-2, 230, Sr. :: Annapolis, Md. (Broadneck HS)
Former walk-on was awarded a scholarship in 2019 … has played in 33 career games at Utah … had first-career catch against California in 2019, gaining 10 yards … played in 11 games in 2019, seeing action on offense in six.

17 :: Devaughn Vele :: Wide Receiver :: 6-4, 205, R-Fr. :: San Diego, Calif. (Rancho Bernardo HS)
Has seen action in nine games as a Ute, including in all five in 2020 … had one catch for nine yards against USC in 2020 … played in four games in 2019 as a true freshman walk-on … played football and basketball at Rancho Bernardo.

1 :: Caine Savage :: Wide Receiver :: 5-11, 185, Fr. :: Buena Park, Calif. (Western HS)
Made the switch to receiver from cornerback this spring after playing in three games in 2020 on special teams and as a reserve defensive back … was league MVP and Co-Offensive Player of the Year in 2019 after also earning CIF Division 11 Defensive Player of the Year as a well … 2,040 all-purpose yards his senior year (1,464 receiving, 338 rushing, 188 kick return).

18 :: Britain Covey :: Wide Receiver :: 5-8, 172, Jr. :: Provo, Utah (Timpview HS)
Four-time All-Pac-12 selection (3 as a returner, first-team in 2018, 2020) … led Utah in receiving yards in 2015, 2018 and 2020 … Phil Steele All-America honorable mention in 2020 and Sporting News Freshman All-America first-team in 2015 … 33 career games played with 17 starts … three-career 100-yard receiving games, including his career-high 134 yards (6 catches) in Utah’s 2020 season finale win over Washington State in 2020.

25 :: Jaylen Dixon :: Wide Receiver :: 5-9, 170, Jr. :: Frisco, Texas (Lone Star HS)
28 career games in a Utah uniform with nine starts … played in all 14 games in 2019, starting three with 343 receiving yards (1 TD) and 111 rushing yards (2 TD) … was second on the team in receptions (32) and yards (589) in 2018 as a redshirt freshman, averaging 18.4 yards per catch … had two 100-yard receiving games in 2018.

21 :: Solomon Enis :: Wide Receiver :: 6-3, 208, Jr. :: Phoenix, Ariz. (North Canyon HS)
33 career games as a Ute with nine starts … started all five games in 2020 with 108 receiving yards and a touchdown … played in all 14 games in 2019 with 158 receiving yards, averaging 11.3 yards per catch … career-high 62 yards with a career-long 41-yard catch against Washington State in 2019 … career-high 179 total yards in 2018 on 13 catches (13.8 ypc).

10 :: Money Parks :: Wide Receiver :: 5-10, 170, Fr. :: Aledo, Texas (Aledo HS)
Played in one game in 2020, seeing action on offense against USC … two-time all-state selection out of high school, racking up 1,155 receiving yards (18.0 ypc) and 19 touchdowns as a senior … helped Aledo to a state championship in 2019 … was also a standout track athlete in high school.