SALT LAKE CITY—The new early high school signing period for football started off with a bang for the Utes with the first National Letter of Intent received from coveted four-star recruit
Jack Tuttle—the No. 4 ranked pro style quarterback in the country. Also officially committing to Utah's 2018 signing class on the first day were offensive lineman
Braeden E. Daniels, defensive lineman
Jeremiah Jordan, defensive back
Malone Mataele, wide receiver
Terrell Perriman and linebacker
Bryant Pirtle. Joining the class on Jan. 15 was defensive back
Vonte Davis.
Tuttle, Daniels, Mataele and Perriman will be freshmen next season, while Jordan, Pirtle and Davis are junior college transfers.
The traditional February national signing day for the 2018 class falls on Feb. 7.
"We feel this is a great start to our 2018 signing class," said Utah coach
Kyle Whittingham, who is preparing his team to play in the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl on Dec. 26. "Things went as anticipated and we were able to address needs at several positions with this group. We signed a high profile quarterback in Jack Tuttle, two junior college players who should give us immediate help at defensive end (Jordan) and linebacker (Pirtle), as well as three freshmen which include a cornerback (Mataele), a receiver (Perriman) and an offensive lineman (Daniels)."
The 6'4", 200-pound Tuttle out of San Marcos, Calif. (Mission Hills HS) received a four-star rating by 247sports and Rivals and both ranked him in their top five among pro style quarterback recruits. Tuttle, who participated in the 2017 Elite 11 finals and The Opening, was named the San Diego Section Player of the Year. He completed 69% of his passes this season for 3,171 yards and 41 touchdowns with just four interceptions. Tuttle also rushed 66 times for 207 yards and two touchdowns while leading Mission Hills HS to a 12-1 record and the San Diego Section Open Division championship game.
Daniels, a 6'4", 284-pounder out of Carrollton, Texas (Hebron HS), was first-team all-district as a junior and was rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports and Rivals. Hebron won the 2016 Area and Bi-District Championships.
Jordan, a 6'4", 233-pound defensive end out of Georgia who captained his Mt. San Jacinto College team, was named first-team SCFA American Division Mountain League in 2017. A quarter of his total tackles this season (12 of 45) were for a loss.
Pirtle (6-2, 227) was a first-team all-state player at Kentucky's DeSales High School, recording 148 tackles and 43 sacks his last two seasons before heading to Pima Community College. He was named a second-team all-conference linebacker at Pima in 2017.
Mataele (5-10, 177) will play safety for the Utes after playing multiple positions at Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Placentia, Calif. As a junior, he was named to the Cal-Hi all-state juniors second team as a multipurpose player and was first-team all-Trinity League.
Utah has had success in recruiting Florida in recent years and Perriman from Miami Central High School is its latest coup. Perriman ranked third in Miami-Dade county in receiving yards in 2017 with 671 yards and seven touchdowns, while averaging 19.2 yards per reception. He is the nephew of former University of Miami and NFL receiver Brett Perriman.
Davis, a 6'1", 168-pound cornerback out of Texas, was a second-team NJCAA All-American in his only season at Blinn College. He'll have four years to play three on his NCAA clock.
Roster and bios follow.
| Name (pronunciation) |
Pos. |
Hgt. |
Wgt. |
Yr. |
Exp. |
Hometown/Last School |
Time Enrolled |
| Jack Tuttle |
QB |
6-3 |
200 |
Fr. |
HS |
San Marcos, Calif./Mission Hills HS |
8:37 AM |
| Braeden E. Daniels |
OL |
6-4 |
284 |
Fr. |
HS |
Carrollton, Texas/Hebron HS |
9:05 AM |
| Bryant Pirtle |
LB |
6-2 |
227 |
Jr. |
JC |
Louisville, Ky./Pima CC |
9:38 AM |
| Jeremiah Jordan |
DL |
6-4 |
233 |
Jr. |
JC |
Stone Mountain, Ga./Mt. San Jacinto College |
10:56 AM |
| Terrell Perriman (turr-ell) |
WR |
5-11 |
182 |
Fr. |
HS |
Miami, Fla./Miami Central HS |
11:11 AM |
| Malone Mataele (mah-tah-elly) |
DB |
5-10 |
177 |
Fr. |
HS |
Placentia, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic HS |
11:45 AM |
| Vonte Davis (von-tay) |
DB |
6-1 |
168 |
So. |
JC |
Rosenberg, Texas/Blinn College |
Jan. 15 |
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8:37 a.m.
Jack Tuttle
Quarterback
6-4, 200, Fr.
HS
San Marcos, Calif.
Mission Hills HS
Four-star recruit by 247sports and Rivals … No. 4 ranked pro style quarterback in the country by Rivals.com and No. 5 by 247Sports … No. 13 player in California by 247Sports … earned a place in the 2017 Elite 11 finals, as well as The Opening … San Diego Section Player of the Year as a senior at Mission Hills HS and first-team all-CIF … won the 2017 Silver Pigskin Award, presented to San Diego County's most outstanding high school football player …
San Diego Union Tribune Prep Athlete of the Month for September 2017 … Cal-Hi Sports sophomore all-state team in 2015 … completed 205-of-295 (69%) passes for 3,171 yards and 41 touchdowns with just four interceptions his senior season, while rushing 66 times for 207 yards and two touchdowns … led Mission Hills HS to a 12-1 record with the only loss in the San Diego Section Open Division championship game … passed for 295 yards and a touchdown (no interceptions) in the title game … passed for 2,146 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior in 2016 … quarterbacked Mission Hills to an 11-1 record as a sophomore, completing 130-of-200 passes for 1,862 yards and 15 touchdowns (5 INT) … also rushed for 250 yards and three TDs in 2015 … son of Jay and Kathy Tuttle … sister Ally is a senior on the Tennessee dance team that took first at nationals in 2015.
9:05 a.m.
Braeden E. Daniels
Offensive Line
6-4, 284, Fr.
HS
Carrollton, Texas
Hebron HS
First-team all-district selection in 2016 … Hebron HS (Texas) three-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals … Hebron won Area and Bi-District Championships in 2016 … also competed in track and field, finishing third in the area and district in the shot put in 2017.
9:38 a.m.
Bryant Pirtle
Linebacker
6-2, 227, Jr.
JC
Louisville, Ky.
Pima CC
Second-team all-conference at Pima CC in 2017 when he totaled 72 tackles with six TFL (3.5 sacks) … 29 tackles and 4.5 sacks as a freshman in 2016 … ranked No. 32 in the nation among junior college weakside defensive ends by 247Sports …
Courier-Journal first-team all-state as a senior at DeSales HS (Ky.) in 2014 and second-team Associated Press Kentucky all-state … listed in the
Lexington Herald-Leader's Class of the Commonwealth … Defensive MVP at the 2014 Best of the Bluegrass all-star game … junior and senior seasons combined for 148 tackles and 43 sacks (including three in the 2013 and 2014 state title games), while rushing for almost 1,000 yards and 12 TDs … prior to the 2014 state title game, compiled 77 tackles, 17.5 sacks, five fumble recoveries and 582 yards rushing with eight touchdowns … 66 tackles with 22.5 sacks as a junior in 2013 … DeSales won back-to-back Kentucky 2-A state titles in 2013-14.
10:56 a.m.
Jeremiah Jordan
Defensive Line
6-4, 233, Jr.
JC
Stone Mountain, Ga.
Mt. San Jacinto College
First-team SCFA American Division Mountain League in 2017 … played in 10 games at Mt. San Jacinto College with 45 total tackles (12 TFL, 4.5 sacks) … team captain … competed at Limestone College in 2015, playing in seven games with seven tackles (1.0 TFL) … three-star recruit on 247Sports … played two seasons at Redan HS (Georgia) after transferring from Stephenson HS … defensive team captain as a senior … son of Martita and Chinoel Kendrich and James Jordan.
11:11 a.m.
Terrell Perriman
Wide Receiver
5-11, 182, Fr.
HS
Miami, Fla.
Miami Central HS
Ranked third in Miami-Dade county in receiving yards in 2017 with 671 yards and seven touchdowns on 35 receptions … averaged 19.2 yards per reception as a senior … three-star prospect by 247Sports and Rivals … 158 receiving yards vs. Northwestern HS and 138 yards vs. Chaminade-Madonna … named to
USA Today's Super 25 in week three of his senior season … helped Miami Central to a 9-3 record and the regional semifinals in 2017 … Central won the Class 6A state championship in 2015 … 50 catches for 860 yards and seven touchdowns in his high school career … also competes on the track team in the sprints … nephew of former University of Miami and NFL receiver Brett Perriman.
11:45 a.m.
Malone Mataele
Defensive Back
5-10, 177, Fr.
HS
Placentia, Calif.
Santa Margarita Catholic HS
2016 Cal-Hi all-state juniors second-team multipurpose player … 2016 first-team all-Trinity League and second-team all-county … three-star recruit by Rivals and 247Sports …1,576 all-purpose yards as a senior at Santa Margarita HS (Calif.) … 21 kick returns for 626 yards and 12 punt returns for 194 yards … scored 13 total touchdowns (nine rushing, four receiving) … 38 catches for 450 yards and 49 carries for 306 yards … four tackles and two pass breakups on defense … 1,341 all-purpose yards as a junior with 711 yards on kick returns (25 returns) … 10 total touchdowns included two on kick returns … 16 punt returns for 279 yards and two scores … 45 carries for 245 yards and five touchdowns and nine catches for 106 yards and one touchdown … 31 tackles with five passes defended on defense … played at Orange Lutheran HS as a sophomore, recording 46 tackles (1.0 TFL) with two passes defended, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery … 263 all-purpose yards included 119 rushing (22 carries), 78 kick return (four returns) and 66 receiving (6 catches, 1 TD) … last name is pronounced mah-tah-elly.
Jan. 15
Vonte Davis
Defensive Back
6-0, 170, So.
JC
Rosenberg, Texas/Blinn College
Second-team NJCAA All-American in his only season at Blinn College … 2017 first-team All-Southwest Junior College Football Conference … 48 tackles (1.0 sack), two interceptions, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries … has four years remaining on his NCAA clock to play three … first-team all-district on both offense and defense as a senior at Terry HS (Texas) … two-time all-district on defense … Terry reached the second round of the playoffs in 2016 … two-time second-team all-district in basketball … third in the state in the triple jump and seventh in the state in the long jump as a senior after winning region and district titles in both events … 2016 honorable mention academic all-state … brother Victor Davis played football at Texas A&M … name is pronounced von-tay.