Utah football's top pass rusher will enter transfer portal

Utah defensive end John Henry Daley will enter the transfer portal when it opens Jan. 2, he confirmed Tuesday in a post to social media.

The Alpine, Utah, native Lone Peak High School (Utah) product who started his collegiate career at BYU before transferring to Utah will have two years of eligibility remaining. Daley is recovering from a season-ending injury he sustained Nov. 22 during the Utes' home finale against Kansas State.

"I'd like to thank my teammates, coaches, and Ute nation for the incredible support these past two seasons," Daley said in a statement posted to X. "The experiences I've had here will last a lifetime. Who I consider to be family has grown significantly and I will always cherish those relationships."

"This rehab has given me time to pray and reflect on my future. I will be entering the transfer portal fully healthy by the spring of 2026 with two years of eligibility remaining. I'll always love Utah."

Daley provided clarity on his recovery timeline in a comment under an X post by a Michigan fan account a few days ago. The Wolverines recently agreed to terms with Kyle Whittingham, making the 66-year-old the program's next head coach following his 21 seasons with the Utes.

Daley played a significant role in helping Utah remain competitive in the Big 12 title race throughout the regular season. The Associated Press All-American, Chuck Bednarik Award semifinalist and quarterfinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy award led the Football Bowl Subdivision in tackles for loss (17.5) and was tied for No. 2 in sacks (11.5) when he went down with a leg injury against the Wildcats on Nov. 22. He was also third on the team in total tackles (48) and checked in as the only Utah player to force multiple fumbles through its first 11 games.

With Daley leading the charge, Utah was one of three Big 12 teams with 30 or more sacks through Week 13, ranking behind only Texas Tech (33) and Arizona State (31) in that category. The Utes were also No. 3 in the league in scoring defense — allowing 18.5 points per game — and opponent third down conversions, yielding just 31.2% successful attempts going into Week 14.

Daley's breakout campaign followed a 2024 campaign in which he recorded four tackles, including a sack, across seven appearances. The 6-foot-4 edge rusher had previously played in three games for the Cougars in 2023, totaling three tackles.

Daley committed to BYU as a three-star and 247Sports' No. 9 overall recruit in the state of Utah, checking in as the No. 47 athlete nationally in the class of 2021.

Daley is expected to be one of the top defensive ends on the open market.

Grateful for the opportunity. Go Utes!🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/VJEAKdxu0H
— John Henry Daley (@JohnHenryDaley1) December 30, 2025

MORE UTAH NEWS & ANALYSIS