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Draft Scout College Football Player News: Utah

Previous 15 Notes

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09/13/22 - *Clark Phillips III, rSo/2023, Utah + More +

TRACKING TOP DRAFT PROSPECTS - WEEK 2: 35. Clark Phillips III, rSo, CB, Utah, 5-09, 183, 1-2,...Phillips had a tackle and an assist in a 73-7 win over obviously overmatched Southern Utah, which struggled to gain 85 total yards, almost evenly split between 42 passing and 43 rushing. Not the kind of balanced attack a team wants. Previous week, No. 35: Phillips was among those unable to stop Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson who threw for 168 yards and ran for 106 yards and three touchdowns in a 29-26 upset over No. 7 ranked Utah. Phillips was credited with only one tackle in the game, although he seemed to be in on more, including one when he avoided a blocker to make a stop on a screen. Florida was conscious of Phillips and put his man in motion or seemed to stay away from him. - Frank Cooney/NFL Draft Scout

rSo/2023

CB *Clark Phillips III, Utah
News Source: Frank Cooney/NFL Draft Scout
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09/10/22 - Cameron Rising, rSr/2025, Utah + More +

Cameron Rising threw for 254 yards in the first half, Dalton Kincaid had 107 yards receiving and two touchdowns and No. 13 Utah routed Southern Utah 73-7 on Saturday. Coming off an opening loss last week at Florida, Utah scored on nine consecutive drives, including eight touchdowns, over the final three quarters against the FCS Thunderbirds (1-1). The Utes had 599 yards of total offense. As six-touchdown underdogs, the Thunderbirds weren't afraid of taking some risks. They started the game with an unsuccessful onside kick that led to a 13-yard touchdown run by Tavion Thomas. Southern Utah got a break when Thomas fumbled later in the first quarter and Rodrick Ward recovered. On the next play, Grady Robison tied it at 7 on a quarterback draw that went for 28 yards. Utah didn't allow any gains of 10 yards or more the rest of the game.

Thomas scored on another touchdown run early in the second quarter. Utah then turned a fourth-down stop of the plucky Thunderbirds into a field goal and a diving interception by Junior Tafuna into Chris Curry's TD run. Rising unleashed more of Utah's vertical passing game, which was absent against Florida, and capped the first half with three touchdown passes to the Utes' prolific tight ends - two to Kincaid and one to Brant Kuithe. Utah gained 250 yards of offense in the second quarter. On the first possession of the second half, R.J. Hubert took an interception 39 yards for a touchdown. With the huge lead, most of Utah's stars watched the rest of the game from the sideline. The Ute defense held the Thunderbirds to 85 total yards despite scoring quickly throughout the game. The blowout marked Utah's highest-scoring game since beating UTEP 82-6 in 1973. - Utah/AP College Football

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QB Cameron Rising, Utah
News Source: Utah/AP College Football
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09/06/22 - *Clark Phillips III, rSo/2023, Utah + More +

TRACKING TOP DRAFT PROSPECTS - WEEK 1: 35. Clark Phillips III, rSo, CB, Utah, 5-09, 183,...Phillips was among those unable to stop Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson who threw for 168 yards and ran for 106 yards and three touchdowns in a 29-26 upset over No. 7 ranked Utah. Philllips was credited with only one tackle in the game, although he seemed to be in on more, including one when he avoided a blocker to make a stop on a screen. Florida was conscious of Phillips and put his man in motion or seemed to stay away from him. - Frank Cooney/NFL Draft Scout

rSo/2023

CB *Clark Phillips III, Utah
News Source: Frank Cooney/NFL Draft Scout
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09/01/22 - Cameron Rising, rSr/2025, Utah + More +

ESPN TOP 100 PRESEASON 2022 CFB PLAYERS (Selected Aug. 17): No. 48. Cameron Rising, QB, Utah, Junior. Notable 2021 stats: 2,492 yards, 20 TDs. Last year's ranking: NR. Relative to the chatter about incoming quarterbacks like USC's Caleb Williams and Wazzu's Cameron Ward, Rising is cruising a bit under the radar. Yet after a season with nearly 2,500 passing yards and a 20-5 touchdown-interception ratio, he's exactly the kind of steady quarterback with continuity on his side that Utah needs to win the conference again. - ESPN.com

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QB Cameron Rising, Utah
News Source: ESPN.com
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09/01/22 - Tavion Thomas, rJr/2023, Utah + More +

2022 COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S TOP STAR DUOS/TRIOS: Utah RB Tavion Thomas had a school-record 21 rushing touchdowns, third-most in the FBS last season. Cornerback Clark Phillips III is a preseason second-team AP All-American, who has started all 19 games he's played in at Utah. Has recorded a pick-six in each of his first two seasons. - AP College Football

rJr/2023

RB Tavion Thomas, Utah
News Source: AP College Football
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08/31/22 - Tavion Thomas, rJr/2023, Utah + More +

ESPN TOP 100 PRESEASON 2022 CFB PLAYERS (Selected Aug. 17): No. 84. Tavion Thomas, RB, Utah, Junior. Notable 2021 stats: 1,108 yards, 21 TDs. Last year's ranking: NR. A first-team all-Pac-12 selection last year after rushing for 1,108 yards with 21 touchdowns, Thomas figures to see an even bigger role after backfield mate T.J. Pledger left for the NFL. No Power 5 running back had more rushing touchdowns than the 6-2, 238-pound Thomas. - ESPN.com

rJr/2023

RB Tavion Thomas, Utah
News Source: ESPN.com
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08/29/22 - Cameron Rising, rSr/2025, Utah + More +

2022 PRESEASON MANNING AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LIST: Cameron Rising, Jr., Utah,...Rising saw action in 13 games in 2021, starting the last 11, going 204-of-320 passing (5 INT, 20 TDs) for 2,493 yards, adding 74 carries for 499 rushing yards (6.7 ypc) and six rushing touchdowns...Pac-12 All-Conference first-team selection...Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year semifinalist. - Utah Football

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QB Cameron Rising, Utah
News Source: Utah Football
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08/22/22 - Cameron Rising, rSr/2025, Utah + More +

The Utah football program has announced the four players that will be wearing the captain's patch this season. On Thursday night, the Utes announced that quaterback Cameron Rising, defensive tackle Devin Kaufusi, tight end Brant Kuithe and cornerback Clark Phillips III will be their captains this season. Each was voted as a captain by Utah's players. Rising, entering his third season, threw for 2,493 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2021. Kaufusi, entering his fifth season, recorded 13 tackles last year. Kuithe is entering his fifth season and caught 50 passes for 611 yards and six touchdowns in 2021, while Phillips III - entering his third season with the Utes - had 61 tackles and two interceptions last season. - Deseret News

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QB Cameron Rising, Utah
News Source: Deseret News
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08/22/22 - Jaylon Glover, Jr/2026, Utah + More +

Utah has a crowded and talented running backs room that features veterans like Tavion Thomas, Micah Bernard and Chris Curry. It also includes freshman Jaylon Glover, a 5-foot-7, 207-pounder from Lakewood, Florida. Glover arrived at Utah as a three-star recruit out of Lake Gibson High, where he ran for 6,096 yards and 80 touchdowns, and had 32 100-yard rushing games during his prep career. Not only was he the Class 6A Player of the Year, he was also the Lakeland Ledger's All-County Big School Offensive Player of the Year. As a senior, he rushed 272 times for 2,073 yards and 26 TDs.

With so many experienced running backs surrounding Glover, what is expected from him in his first season with the Utes? "He's a freshman. That's how it's going right now," said running backs coach Quinton Ganther. "But he's a talented freshman. I don't make plans for them; they make plans for themselves. If they're ready, they'll play. If they need a little more time, then they'll have to take more time." Offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig anticipates that Utah will depend on all of its running backs to get through the season. "It's been my experience that we need every running back on the roster ready to play. In this offense, it's such a focal point of what we do," he said. "Jaylon adds a different element. He's a little different than the rest of the group. To be able to intermix those guys within the flow of a game is a real benefit to keep the defense off balance." - Deseret News

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RB Jaylon Glover, Utah
News Source: Deseret News
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08/21/22 - *Clark Phillips III, rSo/2023, Utah + More +

Now that college athletes can profit from their name, image and likeness, business opportunities are popping up all over the country. And that's certainly been the case at Utah, where athletes, like cornerback Clark Phillips III, are benefitting. Thanks to NIL, he recently made a big, splashy purchase. "One thing that I wanted was a nice car," Phillips said. "I got a red Mustang because it's red and we're Utah. I was good right there." Quarterback Cam Rising declined to give any details about anything he's bought through NIL. "Nothing too groundbreaking. But it's been good," he said. "I've been trying to be smart with my money and making sure I'm handling it with care and acting accordingly with my money...It's (the NIL process) been treating us well. We can't complain. Utah has been taking care of us. It's been positive. It's a tricky, unknown process but it's been good. There's nothing I would change at the moment." College athletics is a billion-dollar industry and now student-athletes are able to earn revenue for their efforts.

Of course, the amount of income depends on the athlete. While not all student-athletes can buy cars, having some extra spending money helps. "NIL has definitely been a good thing. It's something that college football was looking for for a while," Phillips said. "The biggest thing is, most guys aren't really struggling anymore. It shouldn't be a thing where guys don't have a couple of dollars in their pockets to go get a sandwich or a burger. That's been one of the biggest things. It's been great for us." - Deseret News

rSo/2023

CB *Clark Phillips III, Utah
News Source: Deseret News
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08/18/22 - Devaughn Vele, rJr/2024, Utah + More +

In late July, before former Utah star Britain Covey traveled to Philadelphia for training camp with the Eagles, he stopped by the Utes' campus to work out with some current Utah players. Wide receiver Devaughn Vele took the opportunity to talk to Covey about playing at the next level. While Vele is locked in on the upcoming season with the Utes, he is hoping to launch his own NFL career someday. "I asked him a few pointers about the difference between the NFL and college football. He gave me a lot of good pointers," Vele said of Covey. "The biggest thing is understanding that we think that NFL players don't make mistakes. But they do. Their understanding of the game heightens more. They study film all the time. They know your tendencies. That's what they exploit when they're playing against you. "This is most possibly my last season but I'm also looking at the future, what I can contribute if I make it to the NFL. I've been working on my craft, little things. Instead of just having that one-foot tap-in for sideline catches, I'm practicing having two feet in. Things like that to heighten my game to not only help my team out but to also prepare me for the next level."

During his time at Utah, Covey caught 184 passes for 2,011 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also ran for 300 yards and accumulated 1,092 yards on punt returns, with four touchdowns, and 838 yards in kick returns, and one TD. Covey is supportive of his former teammates, like Vele, and he continues to try to help them. "Covey has a lot of faith in me. He told me that I can definitely play in the NFL. To hear that from a guy that's balling out in the NFL himself, it means a lot to me," Vele said. "The leadership that he had will always stay with me. I'm wishing him the best but I'm not worried about him. I know he's going to ball out. "But he's definitely helped me out a lot this offseason, texting me and talking to me," he continued. "I've been watching his film to help me with releasing and running my routes. If you can pick the mind of a pro athlete like NFL players, and (apply) that, you can be a very successful player." - Deseret News

rJr/2024

WR Devaughn Vele, Utah
News Source: Deseret News
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08/18/22 - Emery Simmons, rSr/2024, Utah + More +

Emery Simmons is now getting ready for his first season with the Hoosiers. His journey to Bloomington has now become somewhat circular. The University of North Carolina transfer is an intriguing part of Indiana's receiving corps not only because of his tangibles but also his intangibles. "That dude is freaking tough," quarterback Jack Tuttle said about what stood out to him about Simmons. "Like, he's mentally tough, physically tough, just a grinder, really just a grinder. He'll be in the film room for hours - it's unreal."

Simmons was a standout at South View, where he played his junior and senior seasons. In those final two high school seasons, he tallied 122 receptions for 2,333 yards and 30 touchdowns. As a senior, he made a catch worth mentioning. The South View quarterback rolled right before launching the football across his body. Simmons, who had two defenders right on him, leaped back and hauled it in. "I think from there, I mean it was just really the legend is alive," Brewington said. "I mean, it was just unbelievable. I mean, almost every game, he did some type of circus catch." - Indianapolis Star/News

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WR Emery Simmons, Utah
News Source: Indianapolis Star/News
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08/16/22 - Gabe Reid, rSr/2023, Utah + More +

Gabe Reid has returned to the state of Utah - a place where he has longstanding family ties. And he's joined a program at the University of Utah that will allow him to chase opposing quarterbacks and a program that he is hoping to help capture another Pac-12 championship. After spending the past four seasons at Stanford as a linebacker, the 6-foot, 247-pound senior is now a defensive end at Utah. For his final season of college football, Reid joins his younger brother, Karene Reid, a linebacker, on the Ute defense. "I would say it's home. That's the first thing, just being able to come home and play with my brother," Gabe said of his transfer from Stanford to Utah. "But Utah as a program, I really love that they're defensive-minded. "They're known for playing tough, gritty defense. Rushing the passer while getting after the quarterback is something that I pride myself on. That's something I definitely want to showcase in my last year of college football." At Stanford, Reid played in 42 games with 24 starts. He tallied 167 total tackles from 2018-21. In 2021, he recorded a career-high 10 tackles against Arizona State and had his first career interception against Oregon. He was a Pac-12 All-Academic in 2018. - Deseret News

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DE Gabe Reid, Utah
News Source: Deseret News
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08/15/22 - Junior Tafuna, rSr/2025, Utah + More +

Though he's only a sophomore, Junior Tafuna is taking on more of a leadership role this season. "I like to play around and have fun," he said. "It's been a humbling experience because I've grown and matured out here on the field. I'm just taking things more seriously and it's helped me a lot." What did Tafuna learn from last season and what has he focused on during the offseason? "One thing is preparation. You never know when your number is going to get called. You've got to be prepared. I'm trying to remind myself every day to be prepared because you never know when it's going to be my last down or my last play with my brothers," he said. "One thing specifically I've worked on is being more attentive and smarter on the field. Looking at my keys, looking at the guard, seeing his eyes, reading the backfield and the tight ends, everything. I've tried to engrain that this fall camp." Defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley is impressed with Tafuna's development over the years. "This is a guy that was playing linebacker and D-end in high school. We knew he was twitchy enough. It was a matter of putting on the weight. Our staff does an unbelievable job making sure we're putting on the right weight, not doing it too quick," Scalley said. - Deseret News

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DT Junior Tafuna, Utah
News Source: Deseret News
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08/15/22 - *Clark Phillips III, rSo/2023, Utah + More +

When the first-team defense takes on the first-team offense during Utah's fall camp practices, cornerback Clark Phillips III seeks out wide receiver Devaughn Vele. And Vele, naturally, seeks out Phillips. Vele has established himself as wide receiver No. 1 for the Utes, while Phillips is Utah's No. 1 cornerback and is regarded as one of the top corners in the country. It makes for some compelling matchups, intense competition and spirited verbal exchanges between the two. More importantly, Vele and Phillips are making each other better. As the Utes like to say, iron sharpens iron. "It's amazing. You should see it in practice, every time we have ones-on-ones. We're always calling each other out. We're always the first ones to step up. That's the kind of work I need," Vele said. "He's an NFL-caliber corner. If I want to get to that next level, I need to go against somebody every day that's going to bring that caliber of talent."

Phillips, who already has lined up against some of the most talented wide receivers in college football during his career, said he enjoys going up against Utah's receivers, particularly Vele, who caught 23 passes for 389 yards and a touchdown in 2021. "You see guys like Devaughn Vele, he feels like Megatron now," Phillips said, referring to former Detroit Lions great Calvin Johnson. "It's a blessing to have that. We go at it every single day." Sometimes, Vele gets the best of Phillips; sometimes Phillips gets the best of Vele. "I'm like, 'Dang, I was right there. I was right upon you and you still caught it. What do I need to do?" Phillips recalled. "I tell Devaughn I'll get him next time. - Deseret News

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