Who’s staying, who’s leaving, who’s incoming for Utah football? Tracking 2024 decisions

Transfer portal season has arrived.

The fall NCAA football transfer window opens up on Dec. 4, 2023, the day after the College Football Playoff and bowl parings are announced, and closes on Jan. 2, 2024.

Players transferring in and out, combined with early signing day on Dec. 20 — which has become the de facto national signing day — and players declaring for the 2024 NFL draft, means that every school around the country will experience roster changes in December.

Here’s who’s staying at Utah, who’s leaving, and a look at the incoming 2024 players, updated regularly.

Returning to Utah

Brant Kuithe, TE, senior.
2021 stats (last fully healthy season): 14 games (nine starts), 50 receptions for 611 yards and six touchdowns.

Micah Bernard, RB, junior.
2023 stats: Two games, 16 carries, 76 yards, one touchdown. Missed all but two games this season with an off-the-field injury.

Cam Rising, QB, senior.
2022 stats: 13 starts, 3,034 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, eight interceptions, 65% completion percentage; 465 rushing yards, six rushing touchdowns.

Zemaiah Vaughn, CB, junior.
2023 stats: 12 starts, 45 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one interception, seven pass deflections.

Levani Damuni, LB, junior.
2023 stats: 12 games (six starts), 75 tackles, two tackles for loss.

Transferring to Utah

Dorian Singer, WR, junior, USC.
2023 stats: 24 receptions for 289 yards and three touchdowns.

Taeshaun Lyons, WR, freshman, Washington.
2023 stats: Redshirted. Four-star recruit in 2023 class.

Alaka’i Gilman, S, senior, Stanford.
2023 stats: Nine games (nine starts), 50 tackles, an interception and three pass breakups.

Cameron Calhoun, CB, freshman, Michigan
2023 stats: Two games, 13 snaps, no stats.

Kanious Vaughn, DE, sophomore, UTEP.
2023 stats: 12 games, six sacks and two forced fumbles.

Anthony Woods, RB, sophomore, Idaho.
2023 stats: 12 games (12 starts), 206 carries for 1,155 yards and 16 touchdowns, 15 receptions for 92 yards and one touchdown.

Kenan Johnson, CB, redshirt junior, Georgia Tech.
2023 stats: 11 games (eight starts), 29 tackles, two forced fumbles, one interception, four pass deflections.

John Henry Daley, DE, freshman, BYU.
2023 stats: Three games, three tackles.

Carsen Ryan, TE, sophomore, UCLA.
2023 stats: 12 games (eight starts), 13 receptions for 205 yards and three touchdowns.

Declared for NFL draft

Jonah Elliss, DE.
2023 stats: 10 starts (missed last three games with season-ending injury), 37 tackles, 12 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, forced fumble and three pass breakups.

Emery Simmons, WR.
2023 stats: Nine games, one reception for two yards.

Miles Battle, CB.
2023 stats: 12 games, 28 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, one interception, two pass deflections.

Keaton Bills, LG, junior.
2023 stats: 12 starts at left guard. One of Utah’s most consistent offensive linemen, earning the top Pro Football Focus blocking grade (70.6) along the Utes’ offensive line.

Sione Vaki, S, sophomore.
2023 stats: 12 starts, 51 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception, three pass breakups; 317 yards and two touchdowns on 42 rushes, 203 yards and three touchdowns on 11 receptions.

Cole Bishop, S, junior.
2023 stats: 11 games (10 starts), 60 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions, three pass breakups.

Devaughn Vele, WR, junior.
2023 stats: 10 games (nine starts), 593 yards and three touchdowns on 43 receptions to lead Utah’s receiving corps.

Transferring from Utah

Ja’Quinden Jackson, RB, sophomore (transferred to Arkansas).
2023 stats: 12 starts, 797 yards and four touchdowns on 161 carries while dealing with a season-long ankle injury.

Noah Bennee, TE, sophomore.
2023 stats: Five games, four snaps at tight end, no stats.

Mikey Matthews, WR, freshman.
2023 stats: 12 games (six starts), 29 receptions for 261 yards, 17 punt returns for 75 yards.

Mack Howard, QB, freshman.
2023 stats: No stats. Thee-star quarterback from Oxford, Mississippi.

Bryson Barnes, QB, junior.
10 games (eight starts), 1,517 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, nine interceptions, 59% completion percentage; 267 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns.

Nate Johnson, QB, redshirt freshman (transferred to Vanderbilt) .
2023 stats: Eight games (three starts), 499 passing yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, 54% completion percentage; 235 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns.

Kenzel Lawler, CB, sophomore.
2023 stats: Nine games, mostly on special teams; three snaps at cornerback in 2023.

Faybian Marks, CB, junior.
2023 stats: 11 games, mostly on special teams; 28 snaps at cornerback in 2023, with two tackles and a pass deflection.

Makai Cope, WR, sophomore.
2023 stats: 11 games, mostly on special teams; 55 snaps at wide receiver in 2023, no receptions.

Jocelyn Malaska, CB, redshirt freshman.
2023 stats: Five games, all on special teams.

Jadon Pearson, S, sophomore (transferring to Utah State).
2023 stats: Four games, all on special teams.

Justin Medlock, LB, redshirt freshman (transferring to SMU).
2023 stats: 10 games, mostly on special teams; 42 snaps at linebacker in 2023, seven tackles (one for loss).

Darrien “Bleu” Stewart, S, sophomore.
2023 stats: Nine games, all on special teams; no stats.

Hayden Erickson, TE, sophomore.
2023 stats: Three games, eight snaps at tight end, no stats.

Owen Chambliss, LB, freshman.
2023 stats: Four games, mostly on special teams, one tackle.

JaTravis Broughton, CB, senior (transferring to TCU).
2023 stats: 11 starts, 36 tackles (one tackle for loss), two pass breakups.

Seniors with no remaining eligibility

Thomas Yassmin, TE.
2023 stats: Five games, eight receptions for 89 yards, one touchdown. Suffered season-ending injury on Sep. 29 at Oregon State.

Chase Carter, K.
2023 stats: Seven games, 26 kickoffs, six touchbacks.

Hayden Furey, LB.
2023 stats: Nine games, mostly on special teams; 18 total snaps at linebacker in 2023, two tackles.

Jason Siaosi, LB.
2023 stats: One game, one tackle on special teams.

Utah’s 2024 high school and junior college recruiting class

• Isaiah Garcia, OT, 247Sports composite four-star, 6-foot-5, 290 pounds, Corner Canyon High, Draper, Utah.

• Isaac Wilson, QB, 247Sports composite four-star, 6-foot, 196 pounds, Corner Canyon High, Draper, Utah.

• Hunter Andrews, LB, 247Sports composite three-star, 6-foot-3, 212 pounds, Magnolia High, Magnolia, Texas.

• Zacharyus Williams, WR, 247Sports composite three-star, 6-foot-2, 191 pounds, Junipero Serra High, Gardena, California.

• David Washington, WR, 247Sports composite three-star, 6-foot, 185 pounds, Las Vegas Academy High, Las Vegas, Nevada.

• Davis Andrews, S, 247Sports composite three-star, 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, American Fork High, American Fork, Utah.

• Jeilani Davis, S, 247Sports composite three-star, 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, Mater Dei High, Santa Ana, California.

• Kash Dillon, edge, 247Sports composite three-star, 6-foot-5, 222 pounds, Corner Canyon High, Draper, Utah.

• Ashtin Kekahuna-Lopes, LB, 247Sports composite three-star, 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, St. John Bosco High, Bellflower, California.

• Sammie Hunter, CB, 247Sports composite three-star, 5-foot-11, 178 pounds, Chandler High, Chandler, Arizona.

• Maurice Evans, S, 247Sports composite three-star, 6-foot-1, 192 pounds, Blinn College, Brenham, Texas.

• Quimari Shemwell, CB, 247Sports composite three-star, 5-foot-11, 160 pounds, Long Beach Poly High, Long Beach, California.

• LaTristan Thompson, CB, 247Sports composite three-star, 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, Mount Pleasant High, Mount Pleasant, Texas.

• Luke Bryant, S, 247Sports three-star (no composite ranking), 6-foot-1, 198 pounds, Olympus High, Salt Lake City, Utah.

• Elijah Elliss, DL, 247Sports three-star (no composite ranking), 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Layton Christian Academy, Layton, Utah.