Huffman on West Coast recruiting: Utah pursues five-star receiver as Oregon cleans up in SoCal and UCLA gets edgy

The Hotline is delighted to provide college football fans with a regular dive into the recruiting process through the eyes and ears of Brandon Huffman, the Seattle-based national recruiting editor for 247Sports. 

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Myles away, yet so close

For all of Utah’s success on the recruiting trail in recent years, the Utes have never landed a five-star prospect.

Their best shot ever lurks in the class of 2025.

And in an ironic twist, it involves Corner Canyon High School in Draper, Utah.

The school that produced quarterbacks Zach Wilson and Jaxson Dart, as well as Utah’s 2024 quarterback signee, Isaac Wilson, has its highest-rated player ever in receiver — yes, a receiver — Jerome Myles.

While Dart currently starts for Mississippi and is considered a Heisman Trophy candidate, Myles almost became the next Corner Canyon player to head to Oxford: He committed to the Rebels in late April.

But Myles opened up his recruitment in June, and momentum is swinging toward Utah for the No. 1 player in the Beehive State.

Myles told 247Sports’ Blair Angulo that he has five finalists and an announcement date.

On Oct. 30, the fifth-ranked wideout in the country will select Georgia, Ohio State, Texas A&M, USC or Utah.

With the Utes projected to win the Big 12 in their first year in the newly expanded conference, landing Myles could be the ultimate feather in the recruiting cap for coach Kyle Whittingham.

Bruins add impact pass rusher

UCLA has experienced peaks and valleys on the recruiting trail since DeShaun Foster took charge of the program in February.

After years of floundering with recruits at the high school level under Chip Kelly, the Bruins had a strong start when Foster was appointed. They hit an early-summer lull and missed on several prospects, including two of their top edge targets, Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, who committed to Washington, and Hayden Lowe, who picked USC.

But earlier this month, UCLA went to the East Bay to offer three-star edge Jewelous Walls from Pittsburg.

At one point, Walls’ top four consisted of Arizona, Oregon, USC and Washington, but he didn’t take any official visits in the spring.

With one of Walls’ teammates already committed to the Bruins, safety Jadyn Hudson, Foster went back to Pittsburg. It took just a couple weeks to seal the deal. Walls committed on Wednesday.

The development elevated the Bruins’ recruiting class to No. 11 in the Big Ten — a major upgrade from No. 18, their position on signing day in February.

Ducks keep SoCal hot streak intact

Oregon has gotten off to a nice start with 2026 prospects and continued to make Southern California a prime spot to collect talent.

A week after landing offensive tackle Kodi Greene from Mater Dei High School, the No. 3 prospect in California in ’26, the Ducks returned to a Trinity League power for their newest pledge.

This time, St. John Bosco in Bellflower provided Oregon with a 2026 commit: Edge rusher Dutch Horisk, the No. 50 player in California in the junior class, ended his recruitment relatively early and pledged to the Ducks.

Of Oregon’s five 2026 commitments, four have come since the Saturday Night Live recruiting extravaganza. Horisk is the second player from Southern California to announce for Oregon.

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