Utah football joins Big 12 schools in race for 3-star RB recruit

The Utah football program on Wednesday became the most recent Power 5 program to show interest in Desert Edge High School (Arizona) standout Jhaheem Brown.

According to the 2028 recruit's X account, the Utes became the fifth school to extend an offer to Brown, joining a couple of Big 12 counterparts in Arizona and Kansas State in the race for the three-star prospect's signature.

Brown — the No. 30-ranked running back in the country according to 247Sports — reported his Utah offer after touching base with the team's running backs coach, Mark Atuaia.

Brown's also been established as the top tailback prospect in the state of Arizona for the 2028 class, thanks in large part to a productive sophomore campaign in which he showcased his speed and versatility as a running back, wide receiver and special teams returner for the Scorpions. In the five games he played in, he totaled 22 catches for 466 yards and four touchdowns, and recorded 18 rushes for 125 yards and another score on the ground, helping Desert Edge achieve an 11-1 record and appearance in the 5A state playoff quarterfinal round.

The Scorpions were also led by four-star 2027 quarterback prospect, Blake Roskopf, who was recruited by Utah before committing to Washington, and four-star 2027 wide receiver Zerek Sidney (also a Washington commit). They also had a lot of talent in the 2028 class, including four-star edge rusher Jalanie George, four-star safety Jaelyn Easterling-Flores and four-star cornerback Nekhi Lambeth.

It doesn't appear Utah has recruited Desert Edge's stud defensive players, though there's still time for the top 2028 recruits to make their college decisions. Perhaps the Utes' rapport with Brown leads to more relationships with his teammates.

For now, Brown is one of the few running backs in the 2028 class to receive an offer from Utah, which is also showing interest in four-star Carter Hanson from California; three-star Texas native Jeremiah Tabor; and Malaki Davis, a three-star from California.

With a lot of attention being put toward its 2027 class, Utah has yet to land a commitment in the 2028 class; being among the first Power 5 schools to join the mix for a recruit of Brown's caliber is one way change that. It's not out of the realm of possibility that other high-end programs get in on the race sooner rather than later, considering he's already a top-30 running back in the class.

After a great conversation with @CoachAtuaia am blessed to receive my 5th offer from @Utah_Football !@AZcoachHenri @DEdgeFootball pic.twitter.com/qzzEWeJNPo
— Jhaheem Brown 3⭐️ (@jha_heem7) May 7, 2026

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