How the Runnin’ Utes 2024 recruiting class stacks up in future Big 12
The first day of the early signing period on Wednesday allowed athletes for sports outside of football to officially sign with their respective colleges.
For Craig Smith and the University of Utah men’s basketball team, that meant signing future contributors on the dotted line.
On Wednesday, Alta High power forward Jaxon Johnson officially signed a National Letter of Intent with Utah, while Utah Prep shooting guard David Katoa’s signing was made official Thursday morning.
With the Runnin’ Utes moving to the Big 12 conference next year, how do they stack up against their future league schools?
Here’s a look at how Utah compares to the rest of the future Big 12 programs, with a look at the players who make up this year’s recruiting class for the Runnin’ Utes.
247Sports team national rankings for future Big 12 schools
Rank. Team — Commits (by star) — Avg. rating
4. Kansas — 3 commits (1 5-star, 2 4-star) — 98.92.
5. Arizona — 3 commits (1 5-star, 2 4-star) — 98.26.
11. TCU — 4 commits (3 4-star, 1 3-star) — 93.79.
12. Colorado — 4 commits (3 4-star, 1 3-star) — 94.47.
13. Arizona State — 5 commits (2 4-star, 2 3-star, 1 0-star) — 92.99.
19. Baylor — 2 commits (2 4-star) — 98.88.
25. Cincinnati — 2 commits (2 4-star) —98.01.
33. Houston — 2 commits (2 4-star) — 96.63.
35. Iowa State — 2 commits (2 4-star) — 96.30.
48. Utah — 2 commits — (1 4-star, 1 3-star) — 91.45.
55. BYU — 2 commits — (2 3-star) — 90.10.
65. Kansas State — 1 commit (1 4-star) — 98.24.
71. UCF — 1 commit (1 4-star) — 95.99.
86. Oklahoma State — 1 commit (1 3-star) — 89.49.
107. West Virginia — 1 commit (1 3-star) — 85.28.
Not ranked. Texas Tech — no commits.
Jaxon Johnson | PF | Alta High
Height: 6-foot-8
Recruit rankings:
247 Sports composite ratings — No. 105 nationally, No. 24 power forward, No. 3 in Utah.
247 Sports — ★★★
On3 — ★★★★
ESPN — ★★★★
Rivals — ★★★★
2022-23 averages: 16.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.8 blocks, per MaxPreps.
Of note: Johnson, who committed to the Utes last week, will serve a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before enrolling at Utah in 2026.
Coach’s quote: “We are thrilled to announce the signing of Jaxon Johnson, he’s truly a special addition to our program. One of the things that excites us most about Jaxon is his track record as a proven winner. His dedication, winning mentality and exceptional shooting skills are attributes that will undoubtedly contribute to our team’s success. Jaxon also has a deep-rooted connection to our university. His family is a Ute family through and through. His parents are proud Utah alums, and Jaxon himself grew up wearing Utah red. We can’t wait for Jaxon to join the Runnin’ Utes and see the impact he will make in our program.” — Utah coach Craig Smith.
David Katoa | SG | Utah Prep
Height: 6-foot-4
Recruit rankings:
247 Sports composite ratings — No. 234 nationally, No. 39 shooting guard, No. 7 in Utah.
247 Sports — ★★★
On3 — ★★★
ESPN — ★★★★
Rivals — ★★★
2022-23 averages: 13.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 1.9 assists, per MaxPreps.
Of note: Katoa committed to the Utes in September 2022 — he will join the program next fall after graduating from Layton High. Katoa, a Layton native, played most of his high school career at Utah Prep, formerly known as Real Salt Lake Basketball Academy, but will play his senior season at Layton High as a senior, per the university.
Coach’s quote: “We’re ecstatic to welcome David into our Runnin’ Utes family. David is an exceptional talent with a remarkable athletic background. He comes from a family deeply rooted in athletics, with his parents and siblings all having excelled in sports at Utah, USC and BYU. David’s versatility as a player and ability to play 1-3 makes him an invaluable addition to our team. He’s also got an uncanny ability to make electrifying plays above the rim, something that will get Ute fans out of their seats. Guys like David have proven to impact our program and community.” — Utah coach Craig Smith.
