UTAH UTES FOOTBALL

Utah Football Lands Tight End Commitment, First Of 2026

Mar 30, 2025, 12:53 PM | Updated: 2:51 pm

Utah football lands third 2026 commitment in quarterback Michael Johnson....

Utah Utes fans fly flags during a game between the University of Utah Utes and the Brigham Young University Cougars held at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024.

SALT LAKE CITY – Kyle Whittingham and his Utah football program landed their first commitment of the 2026 class in Oaks Christian tight end Colby Simpson.

Utah picked up a big quarterback commitment in Thaddeus Thatcher last Sunday, but Thatcher is a 2027 prospect.

Simpson is the first commit of the current class, giving Utah a promising athlete at the tight end position.

RELATED: Takeaways: Kyle Whittingham Addresses Media After Utah Football’s Second Spring Ball Practice

Colby Simpson gives commitment to Utah football

Simpson is an emerging talent out of Westlake Village, CA. The 6-foot-6, 225-pounder has a promising blend of qualities for the position. He’s earned over 20 total offers and has secured 12 offers from the Power Conference programs.

The Utes were always considered a top option for Simpson. After visiting multiple programs over the last few weeks, Simpson visited Utah this past Saturday and felt best about his future with the Utes.

“It’s a dream come true to commit to Utah,” Simpson said. “I have been visiting other programs, but I knew this was the right place for me. The moment walked in, I felt I had an instant connection. The people were a big factor, the staff is so great.”

The program’s recent track record with tight ends Dalton Kincaid, Brant Kuithe, and Cole Fotheringham highlighted Simpson’s reasoning to commit.

“Utah wants to develop me into an all-around tight end that can be a physical blocker and makes plays in the passing game,” Simpson said. “Their tight end development with Kuithe, Kincaid, and Fatheringham was the biggest factor for choosing them.”

RELATED: Utah Defense Seems Hell-Bent On Improving In 2025

After visiting the program over the weekend, Simpson feels confident in the staff and the new offense under Jason Beck.

“I have a great relationship with coach Freddie,” Simpson said. “We’ve been building our connection since he offered me, and things are great, not only with him but with the whole staff. I really like what Utah has with coach Beck and the offense.”

This is a solid first addition to the 2026 class. Simpson has the sort of skillset and outlook that fits the tight end position quite well.

Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.

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