Utes in top-6 for in-state prospect Jeffrey Bassa
The month of June has been very kind to Utah when it comes to the 2021 class.
After securing commits from three prospects, including soon to-be four-star running back Ricky Parks out of Florida, Utah was able to jump up to No. 9 in the Pac-12.
The Utes then began July with a bang when three-star wide receiver Deamikkio Nathan out of Texas announced his commitment to Utah on the first, all without ever visiting the campus beforehand.
The good news kept on coming when two days after Nathan's commitment, three-star in-state prospect Jeffrey Bassa dropped his top-6 — And sure enough, the Utes were right in the mix.
Bassa is one of the top prospects on the board, not only because his potential is through the roof, but because the Utes must get better at keeping the top in-state prospects in the state.
He has yet to announce when his final decision will be, but with him already being on Utah's campus multiple times, the Utes should be in this one right till the end.
JEFFREY BASSA
*3-star, Athlete
*6-foot-1, 198-pounds
*Kearns High School — Salt Lake City, UT
Bassa is one of Utah's top priorities, and for good reason. He's the top-ranked athlete in the state and has as much potential as anybody to succeed at the next level.
While he's listed as an athlete, I think he's best suited as a hybrid linebacker/safety at the next level. It's a position that's being utilized in the NFL right now like Tyrann Mathieu and Derwin James, or even former Clemson Tiger Isaiah Simmons.
He already pops off as somebody with good size and athleticism, particularly in a shortened area which would make him ideal for that hybrid role. He'll put on good weight in college and could become an absolute nightmare on defense as a swiss army knife, something that Utah defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley would love to have.
Bassa is still slightly raw in terms of development, but it's also because he hasn't really had to designate a position as of yet. Once he does, I fully expect him to thrive and begin ti tap into his potential.
Utah has stayed strong on his recruitment, and despite an initial push by Oklahoma State, the Utes are right there for Bassa's services. Getting him on campus again and being the hometown school would be huge steps — but what would hurt even worse is losing him to another Pac-12 school like Oregon or Arizona.
The Utes did add three safeties in last seasons recruiting class, headlined by 4* prospect Nate Ritchie. But they don't have anyone to fill out that hybrid role and Bassa's athleticism would make him an intriguing fit.