Football: Five-Star Juco Star Visiting Utah
Recruiting is an inexact science at best, so all the talk about "five-star recruits" and "can't miss prospects" has to be taken with a grain of salt.
One never knows for certain how players are going to pan out.
That said, this is shaping up to be one of the best football recruiting classes in University of Utah history.
Utah got a commitment from Alta's Sausan Shakerin last week, and may get another blue-chipper this week.
I just got off the phone with Aiona Key, a receiver at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif.
Key confirmed that he is making an official campus visit to Utah tomorrow and will stay through Saturday night.
Here's the thing: Scout.com says the 6-foot-4, 200-pound Key is a five-star recruit. Rivals.com gives Key no stars.
Going by the fact that the only three schools that have offered scholarships to the sophomore are Utah, Akron and Utah State, he's probably somewhere in between.
Still, he told me that the Utes are his No. 1 choice right now. He said "it might be hard not to commit" if he likes what he sees this weekend.
"I'm definitely serious about them," he said.
From the Sacramento area, Key started his college career at Boise State. The last time he was in Salt Lake City, the Broncos were kicking around the Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium, although he didn't get to play much. His older brother, Sale Key, played for the Arena League's Utah Blaze in 2006, so he's familiar with the town.
Aiona Key struggled academically at BSU, and transferred to Mt. Sac just before the 2007 season started.
Because he got there late, he wasn't able to get all the classes he needs to get his associates degree and will have to wait until late April to leave, he said.
He caught 53 passes for 757 yards and 12 touchdowns in the regular season before a 12-catch, 179-yard performance in the California JC Championship game.
"I had a good enough year that Division I schools kind of found me again," he said.
He thinks Utah discovered him when Ute receivers coach Aaron Roderick was at at Mt. Sac practice to watch someone else.
Having redshirted his first year in Boise, Key will have two years to play two wherever he ends up.
A source familiar with the ins and outs of junior college recruiting told me that a lot of BCS programs like Key's game, but are fearful of his academic situation and future.
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Along with Key, at least three other football recruits will visit Utah this weekend, a Ute source confirmed at practice today. I asked about it because I saw a list on the Web site Utezone.com. Gotta give credit where credit is due.
The three others are tight end Dudley LaPorte of Santa Barbara J.C. in California; quarterback/safety Devonte Christopher of Canyon Springs H.S. in Las Vegas and Zach Davila, a 6-4, 300-pound lineman from Cienega High in Vail, Ariz., who has already committed to the Utes.
LaPorte is a four-star recruit, according to Scout.com, who hails from Stamford, Conn. The 6-foot-4, 255-pounder caught 30 passes for 500 yards and four TDs. Nevada and Ole Miss have also offered.
Christopher is a three-star recruit, Scout.com says, and has 4.5 speed. The 6-footer played both quarterback and safety in high school, passing for more than 3,000 yards and 44 touchdowns in his career. He's ranked as the No. 44 safety in the country.
Stanford, Utah and Nebraska are the leaders in his recruitment; UNLV, Arizona and Colorado have reportedly also offered.
Davila committed in June.
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Another recruit may show up at Utah this weekend, although our source could not confirm it.
I texted Cottonwood linebacker Lynn Katoa (see previous posts) this afternoon with the question: R U still tripping to Utah this weekend?
His answer: Yeah
One never knows for certain how players are going to pan out.
That said, this is shaping up to be one of the best football recruiting classes in University of Utah history.
Utah got a commitment from Alta's Sausan Shakerin last week, and may get another blue-chipper this week.
I just got off the phone with Aiona Key, a receiver at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif.
Key confirmed that he is making an official campus visit to Utah tomorrow and will stay through Saturday night.
Here's the thing: Scout.com says the 6-foot-4, 200-pound Key is a five-star recruit. Rivals.com gives Key no stars.
Going by the fact that the only three schools that have offered scholarships to the sophomore are Utah, Akron and Utah State, he's probably somewhere in between.
Still, he told me that the Utes are his No. 1 choice right now. He said "it might be hard not to commit" if he likes what he sees this weekend.
"I'm definitely serious about them," he said.
From the Sacramento area, Key started his college career at Boise State. The last time he was in Salt Lake City, the Broncos were kicking around the Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium, although he didn't get to play much. His older brother, Sale Key, played for the Arena League's Utah Blaze in 2006, so he's familiar with the town.
Aiona Key struggled academically at BSU, and transferred to Mt. Sac just before the 2007 season started.
Because he got there late, he wasn't able to get all the classes he needs to get his associates degree and will have to wait until late April to leave, he said.
He caught 53 passes for 757 yards and 12 touchdowns in the regular season before a 12-catch, 179-yard performance in the California JC Championship game.
"I had a good enough year that Division I schools kind of found me again," he said.
He thinks Utah discovered him when Ute receivers coach Aaron Roderick was at at Mt. Sac practice to watch someone else.
Having redshirted his first year in Boise, Key will have two years to play two wherever he ends up.
A source familiar with the ins and outs of junior college recruiting told me that a lot of BCS programs like Key's game, but are fearful of his academic situation and future.
---------------------------------------------
Along with Key, at least three other football recruits will visit Utah this weekend, a Ute source confirmed at practice today. I asked about it because I saw a list on the Web site Utezone.com. Gotta give credit where credit is due.
The three others are tight end Dudley LaPorte of Santa Barbara J.C. in California; quarterback/safety Devonte Christopher of Canyon Springs H.S. in Las Vegas and Zach Davila, a 6-4, 300-pound lineman from Cienega High in Vail, Ariz., who has already committed to the Utes.
LaPorte is a four-star recruit, according to Scout.com, who hails from Stamford, Conn. The 6-foot-4, 255-pounder caught 30 passes for 500 yards and four TDs. Nevada and Ole Miss have also offered.
Christopher is a three-star recruit, Scout.com says, and has 4.5 speed. The 6-footer played both quarterback and safety in high school, passing for more than 3,000 yards and 44 touchdowns in his career. He's ranked as the No. 44 safety in the country.
Stanford, Utah and Nebraska are the leaders in his recruitment; UNLV, Arizona and Colorado have reportedly also offered.
Davila committed in June.
---------------------------------
Another recruit may show up at Utah this weekend, although our source could not confirm it.
I texted Cottonwood linebacker Lynn Katoa (see previous posts) this afternoon with the question: R U still tripping to Utah this weekend?
His answer: Yeah
1 Comments:
Does Utah really have any chance of landing Katoa ?
I just dont know why he would bother going to Utah this weekend if he has already stated that he likes OU and CU.
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