Legacy recruit and tight end CJ Jacobsen says Utah is the 'ideal offense that I am looking for' following visit
As Utah’s spring camp winds down this week, the Utes also hosted a number of high school juniors to come and visit the program this past weekend. While a solid number of soon-to-be seniors toured their facilities and watched the team scrimmage at Rice Eccles, several impressive recruits made their way to Salt Lake City, including the highly talented and sought after three-star tight end from Meridian, Idaho, CJ Jacobsen.
Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 230 pounds, Jacobsen has an impressive frame and solid amount athleticism to be a dynamic receiving threat at the college level. He has reliable hands and can make tough catches through contact. Notably, Jacobsen is also a legacy recruit as his father Chad played for Utah in the early 2000's.
In addition to their recent success and what the program has to offer, Jacobsen was raised as a Utah fan, making an official offer from the Utes truly special.
"It definitely means a lot," Jacobsen said. "Its an offer I've been waiting to get, especially with my dad and uncle playing at Utah and being around the program since I was little, it definitely means a lot. So I am just super excited to finally get it."
Currently ranked the No. 41 tight end for the 2023 class and the No. 2 recruit in the state of Idaho, offers have started pouring in as of late and include schools such as Arizona State, NC State, Louisville, Washington State, Boise State, and Utah State among others. However, despite just barely receiving an offer from Utah, Jacobsen says the Utes already make his top three.
As for their recent success, Utah’s Pac-12 Championship and Rose Bowl appearance have continued to leave lasting impressions on some of the nation's top recruits. While many of the current players were incredibly frustrated with the overall outcome, the way Utah competed has certainly put the program on the map and has intrigued players like Jacobsen.
"It definitely boosts them in their recruiting game. Getting their first Pac-12 Championship and going against Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, it definitely put them out there...I would say now that Utah is a nationally known team and it's definitely a big offer."
Additionally, as demonstrated by Utah throughout their 2021 season, the program likes to run a 13-man personnel which features three tight ends as part of the offensive grouping. As a tight end himself, Jacobsen has been very impressed with that type of scheme and claims its one of the best in all of college football
"I love how they use two to three [tight ends] for a majority of the game...its definitely the ideal offense that I am looking for...the way that Utah uses the tight ends in the pass game is one of the best in the country so it definitely stands out for me," Jacobsen explained.
As for his visit, Jacobsen was thoroughly impressed by the coaching staff and their transparency throughout the process. With head coach Kyle Whittingham nearing 30 years with the program and almost 20 as head coach, there's no worries about stability or changes.
"What I enjoyed the most was being able to sit down with Coach Whittingham for like an hour and just talking about everything going on, how interested they are in me, that they'd take my commitment whenever and that means a lot," Jacobsen said.
"I really like the vibe of the coaching staff and how Utah has been established and the coaches have been there so long," Jacobsen continued. "The culture aspect of it, theres no worry about job security so that was probably one of my favorite parts of the visit."
In terms of his future, Jacobsen still has one final season before he graduates and takes his talents to the college level. Between now and then, Jacobsen said he is specifically focusing on his route running and speed in order to take his game to the next level.
Jacobsen hopes to announce his commitment before the end of summer and at the latest, during his senior season. Regardless of where he ends up, he plans to put pen to paper on early signing day. He will also finish high school before enrolling in the fall of 2023.
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