Utah Gets Commitment From 3-Star Running Back Jaylon Glover
Traditionally Utah has not been a powerhouse when it comes to recruiting, usually sitting somewhere in that 4-7 range when it comes to Pac-12 conference standings.
Where most of the big-name programs — Oregon, USC, Washington and UCLA — make a lot of their splashes early on in the process, the Utes elect to play the long game. Taking the longer approach allows head coach Kyle Whittingham and co. the ability to truly develop relationships with recruits that go beyond the field of play.
While this approach may not be the best fit for all the programs, it's without a doubt the best fit for Utah. Even without top tier recruiting classes, Whittingham and his staff have thrived when it comes to player development.
Dec 5, 2020; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham keeps an eye on the action during their game against the Oregon State Beavers at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
While this approach may not be the best fit for all the programs, it's without a doubt the best fit for Utah.
Even without top tier recruiting classes, Whittingham and his staff have thrived when it comes to player development.
Two seasons ago, the Utes had seven players drafted — and of those seven, only cornerback Jaylon Johnson was seen as a legit NFL candidate when he arrived onto campus. Over a six-year period from 2015-2020, Utah has had 26 players drafted.
But with the COVID-19 pandemic essentially shutting down recruiting last season, the Utes spent that time developing relationships with players and setting themselves up for what should be a very good 2022 class.
The newest addition to Utah's 2022 recruiting class is Jaylon Glover, a three-star running back from Florida.
Before digging into how talented Glover is and how he fits in an ideal situation with fellow 2022 commit in quarterback Nate Johnson, the fact that the Utes went out and plucked a prominent recruit of talent-rich Florida is impressive.
Utah has recruited the state of Florida well, particularly the Hallandale trio of Zack Moss (running back), Tyler Huntley (quarterback) and Demari Simpkins (wide receiver) who would all go on to have successful careers with the Utes. Most recently, Utah nabbed four-star running back Ricky Parks out of Florida in its 2021 recruiting class.
While those are all successful pickups for the Utes, the addition of Glover is massive considering he had taken a recruiting trip to the University of Florida the weekend prior to his commitment. Along with the Gators, Glover's other top schools were Florida State, Georgia Tech and South Carolina.
Glover's commitment proves that Utah has become a legitimate recruiting threat nationally — something Whittingham and his staff can capitalize on to field an offense as talented as the defense.
Glover is a unique prospect for Utah as he has the potential to be a star but there are some parts of his game that might struggle adjusting at the college level.
Generously listed at 5-foot-7, there will be some question marks about how his lack of height will allow him to see over the line of scrimmage or be a legitimate threat in the passing game.
But when it comes to being physical and strictly running the ball, Glover is one of the best in the country. Blessed with quick feet and a low center of gravity, he has all of the power at 195 pounds to run through tackles or make linebackers miss in short yardage areas.
Over his three-year career at Lake Gibson High School, Glover has rushed for 4,023 yards and 54 touchdowns, averaging nearly 130 yards per game against some of the toughest competition the state has to offer.
Overall, Glover could very well be a diamond in the rough much like Moss was — and eventually be one of the best running backs to ever come through Utah.
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