Utah adds 3-star wide receiver transfer via the portal

Utes continue to add wide receiver depth through the portal

Utah Utes head coach Morgan Scalley brought in a couple of wide receivers familiar with new offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Kevin McGiven is going to have a couple of familiar faces joining him for his first season as the Utah offensive coordinator.

Within an hour of each other, the Utes landed commitments from wide receivers Braden Pegan and Kyri Shoels, both of whom have played for McGiven at different points of his coaching career.

Shoels, who spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career at the junior college ranks, was tutored by McGiven after transferring from Palomar College (California) to San José State in May 2024. McGiven had just transitioned into a role as the Spartans' wide receivers coach following six seasons as their offensive coordinator, during which he helped the program win the Mountain West in 2020 while ranking No. 19 nationally in passing offense.

Shoels wasn't featured in the passing game in his first season with the Spartans, though he quickly asserted himself as one of the team's top receiving threats in 2025. Playing in all 12 games, he recorded 59 catches for 768 yards and two touchdowns, earning his keep as San José State's No. 2 option in the passing game behind Danny Scudero, who led all Football Bowl Subdivision players with 1,291 receiving yards on the season.

Shoels posted three 100-yard outings, including a career-high 147 receiving yards in a 30-29 loss to Stanford on Sept. 27. His other 100-yard games came in back-to-back appearances against Utah State (104 yards) and Hawaii (109). Shoels also had eight catches for 73 yards during San José State's 38-7 loss to Texas on Sept. 6.

Shoels' effort and production earned him All-Mountain West honorable mention recognition, as well as a three-star grade from 247Sports upon entering the portal.

As Utah State's offensive coordinator in 2025, McGiven played a role in Pegan's breakout season with the Aggies. The 6-foot-3 California native, who committed to Utah on Wednesday as well, was the No. 1 receiving option for an Aggies team that ranked No. 2 in the Mountain West in scoring (31.8 points per game) and No. 3 in total offense (422.4 yards per game), leading Utah State with 60 receptions for 926 yards and five touchdowns, including three games with 100-plus receiving yards.

Pegan was a four-star transfer and the No. 21 wide receiver available on the open market, according to 247Sports.

Both additions are lining up to be pivotal ones for the Utes, considering their top three pass-catchers from 2025 — Ryan Davis (graduation), Dallen Bentley (graduation) and JJ Buchanan (portal) — are set to leave the program.

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— kyri shoels (@4shoels) January 7, 2026