Where Utah football’s top 2026 signees landed in final recruiting rankings

Not much has changed since then — except for the fact that one of Utah’s top signees, Salesi Moa, decided to enter the transfer portal upon enrolling in classes at Utah in January, clearing a path for the four-star athlete from Fremont High School (Utah) to join Kyle Whittingham and Michigan instead.

Moa was the only 2026 signee to back out of their commitment to Utah in the wake of the program’s coaching changes, leaving the Utes with a 16-player recruiting class that was ranked No. 38 nationally and No. 5 in the Big 12 by 247Sports.

As the last group of unsigned prospects make their college choices final, let’s take a look at where Utah’s signees landed in the final 2026 recruiting rankings from 247Sports.

Kelvin Obot, Offensive Tackle — Fruitland High School

• Star rating: Four-star
• Final national rank: No. 41
• Previous national rank: No. 21
• Position rank: No. 7

Kelvin Obot actually dropped 20 spots in 247Sports’ national rankings, though the standout from Fruitland High School (Idaho) still checked in as a top-10 offensive tackle prospect and one of the top 50 recruits in the 2026 class. He also held onto his designations as the No. 1 player in the state of Idaho and the highest-graded Utah signee in the history of 247Sports’ recruiting database.

As one of Utah’s early enrollees, Obot will have the next couple of months to get extra prepared for the collegiate level and adjust to the college lifestyle. Given his reputation and skillset, there’s a high chance he’ll be asked to make an immediate impact for the Utes as a freshman. It’ll be interesting to monitor his development as he works with his former high school coach and current Utah offensive line coach, Jordan Gross.

Mataalii Benjamin, Offensive Tackle — Lehi High School

• Star rating: Four-star
• Final national rank: No. 199
• Previous national rank: No. 477
• Position rank: No. 22

Mataalii Benjamin was one of the highest-rising offensive tackle prospects in 247Sports’ final 2026 rankings, as the Lehi High School (Utah) standout catapulted 278 spots and landed inside the recruiting service’s top 200 players in the class.

Benjamin will arrive at Utah’s campus as the top-rated recruit from the state of Utah to sign with the Utes in the 2026 cycle, as he checks in as the state’s No. 7 prospect overall and No. 1 offensive tackle.

Having started at right tackle in high school, Benjamin will likely do more of the same at the collegiate level.

LaMarcus Bell — Running Back, Lake Oswego High School

• Star rating: Three-star
• Final national rank: No. 544 (composite)
• Position rank: No. 29

LaMarcus Bell put pen to paper with the Utes during the early signing period as one of the top running backs on the West Coast. He held several power conference offers, including one from Oregon, but opted to shut down his recruitment after the Ducks tried to flip his commitment.

Following an impressive senior season at Lake Oswego High School (Oregon), Bell was tabbed as the Gatorade Player of the Year in Oregon and a first-team all-West running back by USA Today. He finished the 2025 season with 1,603 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns, averaging an astonishing 11.7 yards per carry.

Utah potentially already has an every-down back in Wayshawn Parker, though it wouldn’t be surprising to see Bell get a share of carries as a freshman, either.

Rounding Out Utah’s 2026 Class

The remainder of Utah’s 2026 class consists of 13 signees, all of whom are ranked as three-star prospects by 247Sports.

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