Utah Utes WR prospect Alonzo Fontenette is an SI All-American nominee

A longtime Arizona State commit, Utah is making a strong push to try and flip 2021 wide receiver SI All-American nominee Alonzo Fontenette in what could be a major victory for the Utes

It may be the month of July, and the COVID-19 pandemic may be seriously hindering recruiting for most of the college football programs throughout the country. But for the University of Utah, head coach Kyle Whittingham and co. are off to a stellar start in recruiting compared to where they usually are this time of year.

Headlining Utah's 2021 recruiting class is quarterback Peter Costelli, one of the top-ranked passers in the country according SI All American's John Garcia.

Joining Costelli is one of the premier running backs in the country in soon-to-be four-star running back Ricky Parks out of Gaither High School in Tampa, Florida and Deamikkio Nathan, the wide receiver out of South Grand Prairie High School in Grand Prairie, Texas.

Utah only signed one wide receiver from the 2020 class, but two other players were signed as athletes and could see time on the offensive side of the ball. Juniors Bryan Thompson, Solomon Enis and Britain Covey are the expected starters for the upcoming 2020 season while senior Samson Nacua, junior Jaylen Dixon and freshman Devaughn Vele should all contribute on that side of the ball

Utah desperately needs help at the wide receiver position, and with Costelli and Nathan already on board, the Utes are looking to add maybe 2-3 more during the 2021 class. Fontenette is a guy who could really shine once he gets into college, and was recently named an SI All-American nominee.

Fontenette has long been an Arizona State commit, but his recruitment is still active and has taken visits elsewhere. It stands to reason that the Utes will try to get him on campus and make a big impression — especially after the Sun Devils just secured a commitment from 4-star wide Lonyatta "Junior" Alexander on Monday.

Over the coming weeks, SI will unveil its preseason top 10 for each of 14 position groups (kicking off with quarterbacks this week). SI will unveil its initial top 99 ranking, the SI99, on August 24.

The evaluation process will continue throughout the season “until the list of 1,000 contenders coalesces around just 25 young men who can say proudly they are the best of the best -- they are Sports Illustrated All-Americans,” said SI Director of Football Recruiting John Garcia Jr.

The candidates will be narrowed to 250 in October and 99 in November, and will culminate with 25 first-team Sports Illustrated All-Americans saluted at SI’s annual Sportsperson of the Year banquet in New York in December.

Here's a complete breakdown by Garcia regarding what Fontenette can do at the next level...

Prospect: Alonzo Fontenette
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-3, 180 pounds
Position: Wide Receiver
School: Westlake Village (Calif.) Oaks Christian
Committed to: Washington State, Arizona State, Utah, Colorado, Nevada and Colorado State.
Projected Position: Wide Receiver

Frame: Tall, long frame with lean muscle and slender legs. Room for additional mass all over.

Athleticism: Excellent high-point catcher with a spring-loaded jump. Great core strength and balance for off-target throws. Not the biggest RAC guy, but enough juice to be a threat. Maintains speed through his cuts.

Instincts: Fontenette uses his eyes to base his release and impending route on the corner’s reaction to his first movement. Very good tracking skills. Uses the sideline to his advantage especially when working towards the boundary.

Polish: Doesn’t relay his routes but can sometimes lean (as opposed to sink) into his breaks which might need addressing. Unaffected by ball-path traffic or menacing hands.

Bottom Line: Fontenette is a tall and nimble athlete with reliable hands. When it comes to jump balls, bet on him. Has plus awareness and excels catching contested passes in tight windows.

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