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Son of Utah football legend rated top athlete in 2028 class

Eric Weddle's son has already emerged as one of the top two-way players in the 2028 class
Cole Forsman|
Former Utah Utes safety Eric Weddle's son, Gaige Weddle, is the No. 1-rated athlete in the 2028 class according to Rivals.
Former Utah Utes safety Eric Weddle's son, Gaige Weddle, is the No. 1-rated athlete in the 2028 class according to Rivals. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Being the son of a former NFL All-Pro safety hasn't stopped Gaige Weddle from carving out his own career path in football.

Weddle, who's entering his sophomore year at Rancho Bernardo High School (California), already exhibits some of the same instincts that his father, Eric Weddle, showcased as an elite defensive back during his time at Utah and in the NFL; in addition to standing out as one of the top quarterback recruits in the state of California.

Gaige's impact on both sides of the ball has helped earn him the designation of being the No. 1-rated athlete in Rivals' initial rankings of the 2028 recruiting class that were released Monday.

Gaige recently told Rivals' Steve Wiltfong that Utah and BYU are the two schools that are "catching his eye" in the early stages of his recruitment process. He didn't mention anything about an on-campus visit to Salt Lake City in the future, though he did indicate to Wiltfong that he'll be at the Rose Bowl on Aug. 30 for the Utes' season opener against UCLA.

Gaige, listed at 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds, also holds offers from Tennessee, USC, Washington, Oregon State, SMU and Vanderbilt, among others. Utah became the first school to enter the mix when it extended a scholarship offer to Gaige last November.

As a freshman this past fall, Gaige completed over 63% of his passes for 1,110 yards and 12 touchdowns to two interceptions, on top of posting 635 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground. Defensively, he recorded 90 tackles, an interception and a forced fumble from his spot at safety.

While checking in as the top-rated athlete in the class, Gaige grades out as a four-star and the No. 20 prospect nationally in Rivals' recruiting database. He's ranked by 247Sports as the No. 3 athlete in the 2028 class and the No. 4 player from the state of California.

Having a Super Bowl champion for a father has likely aided Gaige along the early stages of his football career as well — the elder Weddle was also a two-way star prior to college, having played receiver, quarterback and defensive back at Alta Loma High School (California) before arriving to Utah in 2003.

Eric impacted the game in a variety of ways over the course of his four seasons with the Utes; from returning punts and kicks to lining up at strong safety, cornerback and nickel back in the secondary. After taking home All-America Freshman honors in 2003, he earned back-to-back Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year awards in 2005 and 2006 while helping the Utes to consecutive league titles.

Eric was selected by the San Diego Chargers with the No. 37 pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. He went on to have a 14-year NFL career, earning a pair of First Team All-Pro selections, as well as three Second Team All-Pro choices and six Pro Bowl honors. He also won Super Bowl LVI as a member of the Los Angeles Rams.

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Cole Forsman
COLE FORSMAN

Cole Forsman has been a contributor with On SI for the past three years, covering college athletics. He holds a degree in Journalism and Sports Management from Gonzaga University.

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