Utah arranging visit with 3-star wide receiver transfer

Utes looking to host a wide receiver with ties to the team's new offensive coordinator

Utah Utes head coach Morgan Scalley will reportedly host San José State transfer wide receiver Kyri Shoels on a visit. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Kevin McGiven might not be the only person with ties to San José State joining Utah in 2026.

Kyri Shoels, an ex-Spartans wide receiver who worked with McGiven during his final season at San José State, reportedly has plans to visit the Utes in the future.

According to Rivals' Adam Gorney, Shoels is arranging time to see Utah, South Florida, Memphis and UCLA in the transfer portal. It's unclear when Shoels will make a stop in Salt Lake City.

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 team's wide receivers coach following six seasons as the Spartans' offensive coordinator, during which he helped the program win the Mountain West in 2020 while ranking No. 19 nationally in passing offense.

Shoels didn't see the field in his first season with the Spartans, though he quickly asserted himself as one of the team's top receiving threats in 2025. Across 12 games played, 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 didn't get to see most of Shoels' redshirt junior season, except for when San José State visited Logan, Utah, for a Mountain West matchup with the Aggies in mid-October. But their previous relationship could be rehashed in Salt Lake City, where McGiven is set to spend the next year as Utah's offensive coordinator after being hired by Morgan Scalley on Jan. 3.

Under McGiven, the Aggies 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). Utah State was led by a dual-threat quarterback in former Utes signal-caller Bryson Barnes, who finished the 2025 campaign as one of six FBS players with at least 2,500 passing yards and 700 rushing yards.

Utah's 2026 pass-catching corps will be without its top two targets from the 2025 season, as wide receiver Ryan Davis and tight end Dallen Bentley have exhausted their eligibility.

San Jose State transfer WR Kyri Shoels is planning visits to Utah, USF, Memphis and now UCLA as well.

Shoels finished with 59 catches for 768 yards and two touchdowns this season.@TransferPortal / @PeteNakos

— Adam Gorney (@adamgorney) January 2, 2026