Utah football remains in the mix for the top in-state 2027 recruits

The ever-changing landscape of the college football ecosystem has certainly impacted how programs spend their time and resources on high school recruiting.

Still, for all the effort administrations, donors and coaches put into the transfer portal and acquiring experienced talent, in-state recruiting still sits near the top of the priority list for several schools in regards to building rosters for the future.

Just how much of an emphasis does the Utah football program put into recruiting local prospects? Judging by the fact the Utes landed three of the state's top 15-ranked prospects in the 2026 class (BYU landed six such recruits), it would appear Morgan Scalley and his first-year staff have some work to do if they're to reestablish the program's grip on the high school recruiting trails in Utah.

That said, let's take a look at how the Utes are currently faring with some of the state's top 2027 prospects.

Utes Among Finalists For Top-Ranked Utah Recruit

Utah cracked the list of 10 finalists to land Davis High School standout Bode Sparrow back in late January. BYU, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Texas A&M, LSU, Arizona State and Michigan also made the cut for the state's top-ranked 2027 recruit.

There hasn't been a whole lot of buzz surrounding Sparrow's recruitment since his top choices were revealed, though it has been floated that Oklahoma is a school to watch for. Krew Jones, a four-star edge rusher from Orem High School, is a close friend of Sparrow's and a Sooners commit. The two visited Norman, Oklahoma, together in November.

The 6-foot-2 Sparrow, who plays wide receiver and defensive back, has garnered interest from several power conference schools as a four-star recruit, the No. 74 recruit nationally and the No. 5 athlete in the 2027 class, per 247Sports' rankings. He also suits up for the Davis boy's basketball team.

Utah Making Push For State's No. 1 Offensive Lineman

The Utes are among the teams heavily involved in the recruitment for Timpview High School standout and four-star recruit Ian Aloisio, whose recruitment continues to pick up following a solid performance at the Polynesian Bowl.

The state's top-ranked offensive lineman is also a high-priority target for BYU, and it's expected that Nebraska and Tennessee will continue to push for his signature along with the two Big 12 in-state schools, according to a recent report from 247Sports. Michigan could also join the mix given former Utah offensive line coach, Jim Harding, is now with the Wolverines.

In wake of Kyle Whittingham' departure for Ann Arbor, Utes offensive line coach Jordan Gross met with Aloisio and touched base with the blue-chipper during a home visit in January. The Utes previously offered the 6-foot-4 prospect under their previous regime last year.

Utes Looking To Flip State's Top Quarterback

Kamden Lopati has been committed to Illinois since July, though time will tell whether the coveted quarterback recruit will follow through and sign with Bret Bielema and company next winter. Lopati has been fielding offers and interest from other power conference schools in the meantime, and it appears the Fighting Illini will have to hold off other suitors for Lopati's signature.

Utes running backs coach Mark Atuaia and offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven were among the college coaches to recently check in on the West High School star during the January contact period, along with representatives from Michigan State, UCF, Cal, Duke, Notre Dame and Purdue. First-year Michigan staffers Jason Beck and Koy Detmer Jr. — previously responsible for recruiting Lopati to Utah — also paid Lopati a visit.

Michigan, Notre Dame and Florida recently extended offers to Lopati, the state's top-ranked quarterback (No. 19 nationally) according to 247Sports.

Utes Trending Favorably With 3-Star Athlete

Peyton Higginson, a three-star athlete from Salem Hills High School, has a trip to Utah's campus on his jam-packed schedule full of official visits, according to a report from 247Sports.

But first, the 6-foot-3 prospect is set to narrow down his lengthy offer sheet down to five or eight options. Per 247Sports, the Utes, as well as BYU and Michigan, are on track to be named finalists for the two-way standout. All three will have a chance to lay some groundwork with Higginson over the spring as he tours spring practices around the country, starting with BYU on March 14 and proceeding with stops in Utah (April 11) and Michigan (April 18).

Higginson, who had over 500 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, plus 80 tackles and three picks on the defensive side of the ball, told 247Sports that most schools are recruiting him as a safety. He's ranked by 247Sports as the No. 6 recruit in the state of Utah and the No. 2 in-state athlete behind Sparrow.

Utah Staying In Touch With Versatile 3-Star Lineman

Orem standout Jag Ioane was among the in-state recruits the Utes coaching staff connected with over the January contact period. The versatile lineman has Utah in his final top 10 schools, though it's unclear if the Utes are leading the recruiting race.

Washington appears to be in good standing with the No. 9 recruit from the state of Utah, who spoke glowingly about the Huskies and their coaching staff following a home visit with linebacker coach Aaron Van Horn and run game coordinator Jason Kaufusi in late January.

Around that same time, Utes linebacker coach Colton Swan met with Ioane to reaffirm Utah's interest.

Just Missed Out On...

Krew Jones (Orem High School): No. 2 overall player in Utah committed to Oklahoma in November.
Broncs Baker (Stansbury High School): State's top-ranked linebacker left Utah off his list of top six schools.
Sam Ngata (Olympus High School): Son of former NFL All-Pro defensive lineman, Haloti Ngata, chose his father's alma mater — Oregon — over Utah and others in January.