Utah football looking to flip 4-star Baylor commit

Utes join the late recruiting mix for the No. 12-ranked athlete in the 2027 class

Utah Utes head coach Morgan Scalley's coaching staff has been busy on the recruiting trails over the past few weeks. | Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

Karece Hoyt might be committed to Baylor now, though only time will tell whether the four-star prospect winds up signing with the Bears as part of their 2027 recruiting class in the winter.

Several power conference schools have recently gotten in contact with Hoyt, a two-way standout from Lone Star High School (Texas) who verbally committed to Dave Aranda's program back in October.

Utah was among the late entries into the recruiting mix, as Hoyt shared in a post to X on Friday that the Utes extended him an offer. First-year tight ends coach Luke Wells was tagged in the post, indicating he was the one to get in touch and extend the offer to the 6-foot-1 rising senior.

Hoyt, ranked by 247Sports as the No. 12 athlete and No. 244 player in the 2027 class, has also shared offers from North Carolina, Wisconsin and Oregon State over the past week, essentially letting college coaching staffs around the country know that his recruitment process isn't quite wrapped up just yet. He originally committed to Baylor over Michigan, Penn State, Texas A&M and Kansas State on Oct. 11.

Hoyt was the second 2027 recruit to commit to Baylor, following three-star cornerback and Waco, Texas, native Davontrae Kirkland. The Bears picked up a pledge from three-star defensive lineman Jalen Price in November.

In addition to fielding other offers, Hoyt continued to put together an impressive junior season on both sides of the ball after his pledge to the Bears was announced, helping Lone Star reach the Texas Class 5A Division 1 championship game in December. The Rangers went on to lose in a 28-6 final to Smithson Valley High School, though it didn't detract from what Hoyt's stellar play as a skill position player and defensive back.

Hoyt tallied 1,102 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns on 111 carries, plus 45 total tackles, six interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and four fumble recoveries, earning all-district first-team honors on defense. In the five playoff games leading up to the state title game, he had 38 tackles, two interceptions, a fumble recovery and 226 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Given his versatility and athleticism, Hoyt would be a massive addition to Utah's 2027 recruiting class if Morgan Scalley and company are able to flip his commitment and get his signature.

Three-star wide receiver prospect and The Oakridge School (Texas) product, Kingston Parks, is the only 2027 recruit to commit to Utah at this point. Parks, the younger brother of former Utah wide receiver Money Parks, verbally committed to the Utes in late November over competing offers from Arizona, Middle Tennessee, North Texas and Sacramento State.

Bode Sparrow, the No. 1 player in the state of Utah's 2027 class, recently named the Utes among the 10 finalists in his recruitment. The Davis High School standout also plays on both sides of the ball and is the No. 5-ranked athlete in the class. BYU, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Texas A&M, LSU, Arizona State and Michigan round out his final options.

I’m blessed to announce that I have been offered by @Utah_Football @coachlukewells pic.twitter.com/weC6S1Ijrk

— Karece Hoyt (@Karece_Ku2_Hoyt) January 30, 2026