Utah football battling SEC school for No. 1 in-state recruit

Utes are still considered the frontrunners to land a four-star prospect from Utah, though another school has started to make a strong push

Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel and his program are battling the Utah Utes for four-star recruit Salesi Moa's commitment. | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

The Utah Utes aren't the only ones interested in landing a commitment from the top-ranked high school player in the state of Utah's 2026 class.

The race to secure a pledge from four-star prospect Salesi Moa has come down to two teams, according to Rivals' Adam Gorney. While Utah has been the projected frontrunner for some time now, Gorney reports that Tennessee is "the school giving him the most to consider."

Moa, a product of Fremont High School (Utah) and the No. 1-rated rising senior in the state, originally set July 5 as his decision date before postponing. Michigan, Michigan State and Washington were included in his five finalists along with Utah and Tennessee.

The Utes believe they'll still wind up with Moa, per Gorney, though some around the program are "surprised" that it's taken him this long to commit.

Who is Salesi Moa?

The Utes recruited Moa to help out on offense at wide receiver, per 247Sports, though he also mentioned desires of playing on both sides of the ball in college. He was quite the two-way standout at Fremont, hauling in 21 touchdown receptions and over 1,600 receiving yards over the past two seasons, in addition to making an impact in the secondary unit.

Moa's versatility and athleticism earned him a four-star ranking from 247Sports, which also graded him as the No. 45 "athlete" prospect in the 2026 class. He's been on visits with each of his finalists and was in Salt Lake City to see Kyle Whittingham and his staff at the end of May.

Two team race shaping up for elite ATH Salesi Moa, @adamgorney reports⏳

Moa is the No. 2 ATH in the 2026 class.

Intel: https://t.co/j12FThS4rF https://t.co/4AKgC00p7u pic.twitter.com/mJTrXP1vRW

— Rivals (@Rivals) July 22, 2025

Moa's athletic genes likely come from having a mixed martial artist as a father. Ben Moa, a former Utes standout, went on to fight in the UFC after his playing days in the NFL concluded when he was just 27 years old. Ben posted a 5-2 record as a professional before making the move to the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.

Salesi's older brother, Aisea Moa, is a redshirt edge rusher at BYU, where his other brother, Sione Moa, transferred to in 2023.