Utah adds experienced edge rusher via transfer portal

Utes land a top-20 defensive lineman in the portal

The Utah Utes landed their second transfer portal commitment in North Texas Mean Green transfer Ethan Day. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Utah added a significant piece to its defensive line via the transfer portal Tuesday with a commitment from North Texas transfer Ethan Day.

Day, who announced his decision to join the Utes on social media, was 247Sports' No. 17-ranked defensive lineman available on the open market after recording 53 total tackles, 4.5 sacks and a fumble recovery for the Mean Green in 2025, helping the team achieve its first 12-win season in program history.

Day became the Utes' second portal addition of the 2026 cycle, joining Oklahoma transfer and three-star safety, Marcus Wimberly. Day's decision came a few days after he reportedly scheduled a visit with Utah.

The 2026 campaign will be Day's fourth playing Division I ball, and his fifth year of college overall when including the one season he spent at Modesto Community College in Modesto, California, where he was selected as an All-Valley Conference honorable mention after posting 16 tackles and 3.0 sacks in nine games played. He spent his high school career at Ripon High School (California), where he earned all-region honors and was the defensive player of the year in the Trans-Valley League as a senior.

Day transferred to Wyoming in 2023 and spent two seasons in Laramie, Wyoming, recording 19 total tackles and 0.5 sacks during his time with the Cowboys.

Day could compete for serious playing time while in Salt Lake City, considering the Utes lost a couple of key pieces along their defensive line at the conclusion of their 11-win campaign. Their all-American edge rusher, John Henry Daley, announced his intentions of portaling prior to Utah's 44-22 win over Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl. That news came almost two weeks after his partner in crime on the other side of the defensive line, Logan Fano, made a joint declaration for the 2026 NFL Draft with his brother, Utah tackle Spencer Fano.

Utah recorded 34 sacks in 2025, third-most among Big 12 teams. Daley and Logan Fano combined for 16 of their team's quarterback takedowns, with Daley posting an impressive 11.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss before going down with a season-ending leg injury on Nov. 22.

Redshirt junior Lance Holtzclaw and redshirt freshman Kash Dillon filled in for Daley and Fano during the Utes' bowl game. Holtzclaw finished with two total tackles and a sack while Dillon had four tackles, helping the Utes limit the Cornhuskers offense to a 40 combined yards between the second and third quarters.