Recruiting: Four-star defensive lineman Anthony James shares how his visit to Utah exceeded expectations
This past weekend, the University of Utah hosted a number of recruits, including highly talented and sought after four-star defensive lineman Anthony James from Wylie, TX. Having recently de-committed from Texas A&M back in May in order to further explore other offers, James was blown away by what the Utes are building in Salt Lake City.
While James has attracted the attention of more than 20 schools, holding offers from programs like Texas, Michigan, Miami, LSU, Florida and Oregon just to name a few, he appreciates the offer from Utah just the same and has taken notice of their recent success.
"Any offer is special because it means they see my talents on and off the field...The people there impact me more than on the field. It’s top notch coaches and staff, and you can see why they produce amazing results," James said.
In addition to their recent Pac-12 Championship, Utah also had a first-round draft selection in Devin Lloyd while several other notable defenseman (Nephi Sewell, Mika Tafua, Hauati Pututau) recently signed free agent deals. For James, he's not only recognized Utah's ability to channel guys to the next level, but also their culture and how they're able to get results from everybody on the defensive side of the ball.
"They have proven to get results from everyone who plays. They practice and preach being a family, and they play like it. They fly around and play amazing D. Seeing that they produce guys at a high level is the cherry on top," James explained.
James also spoke very highly of the coaching staff, noting that defensive tackles coach Luther Elliss was an amazing man and someone he trusts. He also mentioned that head coach Kyle Whittingham is someone who could, "Get him to the next level."
Going into his visit, James wasn't expecting to have the type of experience that he walked away with. But after a weekend in Utah, he was thoroughly impressed with Salt Lake City, the program, the people, and what Utah is continuing to build. As for when he plans to make his decision, the No. 7 ranked defensive lineman from the class of 2023 plans to announce where he'll be committing at some point during the summer.
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