The latest on the Utah State Aggies’ 2024 recruiting class

Trent Wood
·7 min read
Corner Canyon Chargers’ Tate Kjar (1) runs the ball for a touchdown against the Skyridge Falcons in the 6A state football championship at Rice-Eccles Stadium at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022. The Falcons won 17-7.
Corner Canyon Chargers’ Tate Kjar (1) runs the ball for a touchdown against the Skyridge Falcons in the 6A state football championship at Rice-Eccles Stadium at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022. The Falcons won 17-7. | Ben B. Braun, Deseret News
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With the 2023 college football season coming to a close and the early signing period drawing near — Dec. 20 through Dec. 22 — recruiting is shifting to the forefront of the CFB world.

Or rather, the forefront for fans and media. Recruiting is always a priority for coaching staffs, year-round.

For Utah State, that has meant hitting the junior college ranks hard during the season itself, as well as recruiting high school prospects, with the majority of transfer portal recruiting to start when the portal officially opens on Dec. 4.

“We’re recruiting like crazy,” Aggie head coach Blake Anderson said, following his team’s blowout loss to Boise State on Nov. 18. “Through the junior college ranks and we’ve got a handful of high school guys already committed.”

Here are the prospects, high school and junior college, that are committed to Utah State as part of the 2024 class, listed alphabetically according to reporting by 247 Sports, Rivals, On3 Sports, Big Blue USU Aggie News and the Deseret News.

High school commits

While the Aggies have recruited the junior college ranks extensively and will utilize the transfer portal, high school prospects remain a valued and needed resource. So far, Utah State has received commitments from six high school prospects through Dec. 1, from Arizona, California and Utah.

Grayson Brousseau

TE — Lehi High School.

6-foot-4, 220 pounds.

★★★ — 247 Sports.

★★★ — On3 Sports.

★★ — Rivals.

  • The top targeted receiver this season for Lehi, Brousseau had 46 receptions for 554 yards and seven touchdowns, the latter a team high.

  • Rated the 23rd-best prospect in Utah for the 2024 class, per 247 Sports’ Composite rating, and the 97th-best tight end prospect in the country.

  • A dual-sport athlete, also plays basketball for the Pioneers.

  • Chose the Aggies over offers from five other FBS schools: BYU, Air Force, UNLV, Colorado State and Navy.

Ryland Jessee

QB — Helix High School, La Mesa, California.

6-foot-3, 200 pounds.

★★★ — 247 Sports.

★★★ — On3 Sports.

★★ — Rivals.

  • Completed 102 of 161 pass attempts as a senior this season, throwing for 1,429 yards, 17 touchdowns and two interceptions. Also carried the ball 28 carries times for 107 yards and a touchdown.

  • Is rated 139th-best prospect out of California for 2024, per 247 Sports’ Composite rating, and the 98th-best QB in the recruiting cycle.

  • Chose the Aggies over offers from Nevada and San Diego State, though he has drawn considerable interest from Oregon State as well.

Camden Jury

OL — Casteel High School, Queen Creek, Arizona.

6-foot-6, 315 pounds.

Unrated — 247 Sports.

★★★ — On3 Sports.

★★ — Rivals.

  • Started all 11 games this season for Casteel, which went 6-6 this season.

  • Is rated a top-36 prospect in Arizona for 2024 and a top-125 offensive lineman, per On3 Sports.

  • Utah State is the only school to offer him, although Texas Tech has shown interest.

Tate Kjar

WR — Corner Canyon High School, Draper, Utah.

5-foot-10, 150 pounds.

★★★ — 247 Sports.

Unrated — On3 Sports.

★★ — Rivals.

  • The most productive receiver for 6A state champion Corner Canyon, Kjar finished his senior season with 112 receptions for 1,813 yards and 15 touchdowns.

  • Is rated the 24th-best prospect in Utah for the 2024 class, per 247 Sports’ Composite rating, and the 247th-best wide receiver prospect nationally.

  • Chose the Aggies over an offer from Southern Utah.

Tanner Williams

LB — Mater Dei High School, Santa Ana, California.

6-foot-1, 210 pounds.

★★★ — 247 Sports.

★★★ — On3 Sports.

★★ — Rivals.

  • Missed his entire junior year with injury, but bounced back as a senior with 45 tackles, including 12 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks, six quarterback hurries, three pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

  • Is rated the 128th-best prospect in California during the 2024 recruiting cycle, and the 152nd-best linebacker prospect in the country.

  • Chose the Aggies over offers from FBS programs in Colorado, Wisconsin and Colorado State.

JUCO commits

The Aggies have made great use of the junior college ranks over the years, most recently plucking key contributors like running backs Davon Booth and Rahsul Faison and wide receiver Micah Davis from JUCO programs. Currently, Utah State has two JUCO prospects committed, through Dec. 1, from Kansas and Minnesota schools.

Junior college prospects

Braydon Bailey

DT — Golden West Community College, Huntington Beach, California.

6-foot-3 305 pounds.

Unrated — 247 Sports.

Unrated — On3 Sports.

Unrated — Rivals.

  • Third Golden West player to commit to the Aggies in the 2024 class.

  • Has two years of eligibility remaining, with a redshirt year available.

  • Recorded 33 tackles, including 11.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks in two seasons in Huntington Beach.

  • Chose the Aggies over one other FBS offer, from Ball State (Mid-American Conference).

Marquis Brown

S — Golden West Community College, Huntington Beach, California.

6-foot-4, 190 pounds.

Unrated — 247 Sports.

Unrated — On3 Sports.

Unrated — Rivals.

  • In two years at Golden West, racked up 82 tackles, including a tackle for loss, six interceptions, seven pass breakups, a forced fumble and a blocked kick.

  • Chose the Aggies over offers from Washington State, Houston, NC State, UConn, Akron, UTSA and Texas State.

  • Per his HUDL, has played at free safety and cornerback.

Marlin Dean

DL — Butler Community College, El Dorado, Kansas.

6-foot-6, 245 pounds.

★★★ — 247 Sports.

★★★★ — On3 Sports.

★★★ — Rivals.

  • A one-time IMG Academy standout and Georgia Bulldog, Dean has been an elite pass rusher at the junior college level.

  • This season with Butler CC, Dean racked up 25 total tackles, including 10 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in nine games played.

  • Is rated the seventh-best JUCO prospect in the 2024 class, per 247 Sports, as well as the second-best JUCO defensive lineman behind the uncommitted Antonio Alfano.

Mason Edwards

DB — Hutchinson Community College, Hutchinson, Kansas.

6-foot-2, 171 pounds.

Unrated — 247 Sports.

Unrated — On3 Sports.

Unrated — Rivals.

  • A 2022 prospect out of Denham Springs Senior High School in Louisiana, Edwards signed with Hutchinson and played in six games last season, and five games so far this year.

  • Has recorded 14 tackles, a tackle for loss and four pass breakups over two seasons.

  • A dual-sport athlete in high school, Edwards also ran track and competed in the 400- and 800-meter dash, as well as the 4x200 relay and the 4x400 relay.

  • His fastest 400-meter dash time as a senior was 48.52 seconds, a personal record.

EJ Fisk Jr.

DB — East Central Community College, Decatur, Mississippi.

5-foot-11, 170 pounds.

★★★ — 247 Sports.

★★★ — On3 Sports.

Unrated — Rivals.

  • Rated the 57th-best JUCO prospect, per 247 Sports, and the eighth best junior college cornerback prospect.

  • Played 17 total games at the junior college level, at East Central CC and Northeast Mississippi CC and racked up 46 tackles, including three tackles for loss, an interception, and six pass breakups.

  • Has two years of eligibility remaining.

  • Chose the Aggies over offers from Temple, Tennessee-Martin, and Troy State.

CJ Nesmith

DE/OLB — Fullerton College, Fullerton, California.

6-foot-5 230 pounds.

Unrated — 247 Sports.

Unrated — On3 Sports.

Unrated — Rivals.

  • Had 31 tackles, including 12.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks, three pass breakups, and a forced fumble during the 2023 season.

  • Redshirted a season at Florida A&M University and has two years of eligibility remaining.

  • Utah State is his only FBS offer currently.

  • Florida native, from Jacksonville.

Jared Pele

OL — Navarro Community College, Corsicana, Texas.

6-foot-5 312 pounds.

Unrated — 247 Sports.

Unrated — On3 Sports.

Unrated — Rivals.

  • Started all 11 games for Navarro this season, earning first-team all-conference honors.

  • Previously played at New Mexico Military Institute, as a defensive lineman.

  • Chose the Aggies over offers from FBS programs in Coastal Carolina, Hawaii, Houston Christian, Old Dominion, Sam Houston State and Texas State.

  • From Azle, Texas, has two years of eligibility remaining.

Terrell Taylor

DB — Golden West College, Huntington Beach, California.

6-feet, 195 pounds.

Unrated – 247 Sports.

Unrated — On3 Sports.

Unrated — Rivals.

  • A three-star recruit coming out of Paramount High School in Paramount, California, per both 247 Sports and On3 Sports.

  • Signed with Army and redshirted his freshman season at the service academy

  • In two seasons played at Golden West College, has racked up 61 tackles, including 2.5 tackles-for-loss, an interception, a pass breakup, and fumble recovery.