Ranking Utah football's biggest transfer portal losses

Looking at the key players who left Utah via the transfer portal

Former Utah Utes tight end JJ Buchanan (81) was one of the team's biggest transfer portal losses of the transfer portal cycle. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Morgan Scalley made it clear during his introductory press conference as the Utah football head coach that player retention would be a top priority for him and his first-year staff.

Despite as seamless of a transition as the Utes could've hoped for between the Kyle Whittingham regime and the Scalley administration, there were a handful of Utah players who felt like testing their value on the open market.

Whittingham's decision to take the Michigan coaching job influenced a few of his former players to follow him to Ann Arbor, Michigan, via the transfer portal, causing some outrage from Utah fans over the fallout of his departure.

All things considered, Utah was able to bring back a good majority of the key pieces from last season's 11-2 squad. Devon Dampier and Byrd Ficklin both announced they'd be back in Salt Lake City, giving the Utes options at the quarterback position for 2026 and potentially beyond. They'll be joined in the backfield by Wayshawn Parker, Utah's leading rusher in 2025.

Defensively, the Utes returned Jackson Bennee, Rabbit Evans, Elijah "Scooby" Davis and Levani Damuni, along with a few other key members of the Utah defense.

That said, the Utes weren't exempt from the mass roster turnover going on around the country, which meant Scalley and company had to go to work in the portal to fill the voids created by some of their outgoing talent.

Here's a look at the Utes' biggest portal losses.

1. JJ Buchanan (Michigan)

Former Utah Utes tight end/wide receiver JJ Buchanan. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

There wasn't much contemplation over who was the most deserving of the No. 1 spot on this list; JJ Buchanan proved how valuable he could've been to Utah's future while showing great potential as a freshman in 2025.

The former four-star and top-10 athlete recruit in the 2025 class was listed as a tight end early on but operated more like a wide receiver over the course of the season, developing into one of Devon Dampier's top targets by the end of the campaign. Buchanan finished with 427 receiving yards — third-most on the team — and five touchdowns on 26 receptions, including a career-high 76 yards on four catches in Utah's 44-22 victory over Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl.

With the Utes' top two options in the passing game — Ryan Davis and Dallen Bentley — departing in the spring, it was expected that Buchanan would return to Salt Lake City and compete for the role of No. 1 receiver in 2026. But following the changes to the Utah coaching staff, Buchanan decided to test his value on the open market, becoming the biggest portal loss for the Utes in the current transfer cycle.

2. Jonah Lea'ea (Michigan)

Former Utah Utes defensive tackle Jonah Lea'ea (91). | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Given the attention Utah's edge rushers garnered and the struggles the Utes faced while defending the run, Jonah Lea'ea wasn't always talked about as one of the key pieces of Scalley's unit in 2025.

That said, the jump Lea'ea made as a redshirt sophomore was quite noticeable.

After appearing in six contests in 2024, the 6-foot-5, 285 pound defensive tackle started all 13 games and recorded 34 tackles, including 2.5 for loss and one sack for the Utes this past season. He also deflected a pass against Cincinnati and forced a fumble against West Virginia.

The increase in Lea'ea's production — which drew high praise from Scalley during his introductory press conference — pointed toward a bright future ahead for the former three-star recruit out of Bishop Gorman High School (Nevada). It also earned Lea'ea a grade as the No. 42 defensive lineman in the portal, according to 247Sports.

3. Dallas Vakalahi (Penn State)

Former Utah Utes defensive tackle Dallas Vakalahi. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dallas Vakalahi didn't necessarily take a massive step forward in his development after showing promise as a freshman in 2024, as his playing time and backup role to Aliki Vimahi were likely influenced by Vakalahi not being 100% healthy for the whole season.

With Vimahi set to graduate, Vakalahi could've been in position to compete for a spot in the starting lineup as a junior; instead, his trajectory with the Utes will be more "what ifs" than anything else.

4. Smith Snowden (Michigan)

Former Utah Utes cornerback Smith Snowden (2). | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Eligibility played a vital role in determining the order of this list — Smith Snowden's entry was an exception.

Snowden, who completed his third year of college ball in 2025, played a key role for the Utah defense, which ranked No. 2 in the Big 12 in pass defense efficiency (102.3) while allowing the lowest completion percentage (49.4%) and the second-fewest yards through the air on average (177.8) in the league. He finished the season with 37 tackles, including two for loss, and 11 passes defended (nine pass break-ups, two interceptions). That effort earned the Lehi, Utah, native All-Big 12 second team honors.

Snowden had done a little bit of everything over the course of his Utah career, wearing hats as a returner, cornerback, nickel back and even as a wide receiver early on in the 2025 season. He would've been an important player for the 2026 squad given his experience and pedigree, especially considering the Utes lost more depth at the cornerback position during the transfer cycle.

5. John Henry Daley (Michigan)

Former Utah Utes defensive end John Henry Daley. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Finding the right spot on this list for John Henry Daley required balancing the All-America season he put together in 2025 with the question marks surrounding his reported Achilles injury he suffered in late November.

If the star pass rusher returns to action in spring like he claimed on social media, then he'd have a chance to be a real force for the Wolverines in 2026. But if he's still not 100% healthy by the start of next season and follows the typical recovery timeline for an injury of that magnitude, it could be a while before Daley is back to his normal self.

Whether Daley missed all of next season or played and put together another massive stat line, his departure would still loom large for Utah. He'd have at least two more seasons of eligibility (if he doesn't get another redshirt for 2026) and would've been a cornerstone of the Utes defense when healthy.

Admittedly, those are a lot of "ifs." It's clear, though, that at full strength, Daley can be one of the best pass rushers in the country.