This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
If you are a football fan who likes to believe in stars and ratings before a player has even put on a uniform, then the predictions for Utah's 2012 recruiting class have to get you excited. Judging on the ratings of the players on Utah's commitment list, the Utes should haul in one of their better recruiting classes and have held their own against the Pac-12.The Utes were ranked No. 28 by Rivals.com nationally, just a notch behind Cal. Other Pac-12 teams ahead of the Utes were USC (No. 11), UCLA (No. 13), Stanford (No. 16), Oregon (No. 17) and Washington (No. 23). Scout.com has Utah ranked No. 39, behind UCLA (No. 11), Oregon (No. 13), Washington (No. 19), Stanford (No. 20), USC (No. 26), Colorado (No. 27) and Oregon State (No. 37). The Utes' board has changed some with prospect Darion Monroe, a corner out of Louisiana, expected to sign with Tulane. Another, tight end Jeremiah Valoaga out of Oxnard, Calif., has decided to sign with UNLV rather than gray shirt at Utah. Utah's already strongly rated class could go up if several players who have yet to announce their decisions sign with the Utes. Among them are Alphonso Marsh, a corner out of Dominquez H.S. in Compton, Calif., along with his teammate Brandon Beaver, Raymond Ford, a corner out of Gardena, Calif., Carlos Lozano, an offensive lineman out of East Los Angeles Community College and instate players Brandon Fanaika, a defensive lineman out of Pleasant Grove H.S. who has committed to Stanford but is considering signing with the Utes and Moana Ofahengaue, a linebacker out of Lehi.