Which incoming transfers could make biggest impact for Utes?

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The 2025 college football season came to an end on Monday as Indiana won its first national championship by defeating Miami, 27-21.

As the college football world officially turns the page to 2026, Utah has just about finalized its roster for next season.

A coaching change from Kyle Whittingham to Morgan Scalley resulted in a busier-than-normal transfer period that saw the Utes lose 26 players and add 18.

The transfer portal officially closed to new entrants Friday, but teams can still add to their rosters from players that have already entered. Utah did just that, adding Weber State tight end Noah Bennee, Mississippi State wide receiver Ricky Johnson and Oklahoma State tight end Will Monney in the past few days.

Of the 18 new players heading to Utah, here are five that could make an instant impact for the 2026 Utes.

Braden Pegan, WR, Utah State

Wide receiver was one of the most important positions for Scalley to address in the transfer portal after leading receiver Ryan Davis graduated and breakout receiver JJ Buchanan followed Whittingham to Michigan.

The Utes are losing their top two wide receiver options, with Larry Simmons (15 catches for 280 yards and six touchdowns) being the best player returning at the position.

While Utah does bring back Creed Whittemore (12 catches for 92), who could have a better season with more playing time, the Utes needed an option in the transfer portal to elevate the room.

They found that in Utah State receiver Braden Pegan, who is coming with offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven to Salt Lake City.

Last season, Pegan led USU’s receivers, catching 60 passes for 926 yards and five touchdowns, including five games with 90 or more yards.

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound senior, who spent three years at UCLA with minimal playing time before transferring to USU, is the early candidate to be Devon Dampier’s go-to receiver in 2026.

Pegan arrives at Utah with a lot of momentum after a successful personal season, and he’ll start to develop chemistry with Dampier during winter workouts.

Jireh Moe, DT, San Jose State

Just like last year, defensive tackle is a bit of a question mark heading into 2026.

Aliki Vimahi, Jonah Lea’ea and Dallas Vakalahi — Utah’s three main rotation tackles — are gone, so we’ll see new starters at the position this upcoming season.

Freshman Karson Kaufusi, who played 177 snaps and totaled 13 tackles, and freshman Pupu Sepulona, who played 137 snaps with 13 tackles, are candidates to start at defensive tackle.

San Jose State’s Jireh Moe, however, could give those two a run for their money and claim one of the starting positions.

Defensive tackle was an emphasis for Utah in the transfer portal, with Scalley picking up four players — Moe, Wyoming’s Lucas Samsula, Tennessee’s Jamal Wallace and Kilgore College’s Nicholas Igwe.

Moe, a freshman, stood out for the Spartans with 28 tackles and 1.5 sacks. He was the highest-rated player on San Jose State, with a 83.1 PFF grade and now has a chance to prove himself at the next level.

Ethan Day, DE, North Texas

North Texas defensive lineman Ethan Day (90) before a game against Temple, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, Denton, Texas. | Jessica Tobias, Associated Press

The entirety of Utah’s defensive line is being rebuilt this offseason.

Just like the defensive tackle group, the Utes will be replacing both starting defensive ends — Logan Fano and John Henry Daley.

The Utes do have two players that played over 340 snaps at the position waiting in the wings, however — Kash Dillon and Lance Holtzclaw.

Holtzclaw came into his own down the stretch and finished the season with 26 tackles, four tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Entering his senior year, the Washington transfer will help give the room a veteran presence as he fights for a starting job.

Dillon took a step in the right direction in his redshirt freshman season, totaling 35 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.

While Holtzclaw and Dillon could very well end up as starters, they’ll get competition from North Texas transfer Ethan Day.

Day started all 13 games for North Texas in his junior season, racking up 53 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Day should certainly have a spot in the rotation, if not earn a starting spot.

James Chenault, CB, USF

South Florida Florida Football — Florida running back Jadan Baugh (13) tries to escape a tackle by South Florida cornerback James Chenault (9) during game, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Gainesville, Fla. | John Raoux, Associated Press

Scooby Davis is the only cornerback for Utah that played a meaningful amount of snaps, so the Utes are in search of replacements for a starting outside corner, plus a main nickelback.

Depending where new defensive coordinator Colton Swan wants him to line up, Jackson Bennee could either be at cornerback or safety in 2026. Either way, there will be a new face or two seeing a lot of time at cornerback for Utah.

Utah grabbed four cornerbacks from the transfer portal — more than any other position — as the Utes made moves to shore up a room that has lost a lot of bodies over the offseason.

Lamar sophomore Nicholas Brown, Akron redshirt junior Elijah Reed, Hutchinson Community College redshirt freshman Earl Parker and USF sophomore James Chenault all joined Utah from the transfer portal.

Chenault in particular is an intriguing prospect that could end up starting this season.

Last season, Chenault had 32 tackles, two interceptions and two pass breakups with a PFF grade of 66.2. His best game of the season came in USF’s upset win over Florida, which included an interception of DJ Lagway.

The 6-foot, 180-pound sophomore played outside corner last year, but could also play nickel for the Utes.

Cedric Jefferson, OL, Montana State

Utah’s offensive line is going to look a whole lot different in 2026.

Every single starter, including tackles Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu, will be replaced next year. It’s a tall task for new offensive line coach Jordan Gross, but he appears confident in the talent that Utah does have.

Kelvin Obot, a five-star recruit and the highest-rated prospect the Utes have ever landed, will be coached by his high school coach, Gross, and should start at a tackle spot.

Other candidates to start along the offensive line include Solatoa Moea’i (331 snaps last year), Keith Olson (295 snaps last year), Roger Alderman (134 snaps last year) and four-star redshirt freshman Isaiah Garcia (out with injury last season(.

Utah picked up just two offensive linemen in the transfer portal — Ohio State freshman Isaiah Kema, who played 31 snaps last year, and Montana State redshirt sophomore Cedric Jefferson.

Jefferson started at offensive tackle for the FCS national champions and earned an All-Big Sky honorable mention nod. He could slot into a starting tackle spot at Utah as it rebuilds its offensive line.

In case you missed it

Did you miss anything from the transfer portal window? Here’s our look at Utah’s 2026 roster, including who’s staying at Utah, who’s leaving and a look at the incoming 2026 players.