Utah commit Christian Thatcher plans to graduate early and enroll in December
Utah and Kyle Whittingham will have a major recruit available earlier than expected.
Christian Thatcher told SI on Monday night that he plans on joining the Utes later this year to get a jump on the 2025 football season. This is a calculated effort to graduate from Arbor View High School in December and enroll early at Utah.
"I want to get spring ball in to start learning and competing," Thatcher said. "Utah has shown me so much love all throughout this recruiting process. What sold us on my official visit was getting to see the team and coaches were really a family and everything we did they had their wives and children with them."
The Utes secured a commitment from Thatcher on Sunday. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound four-star linebacker chose Utah over programs from every Power Four conference, including Tennessee, Oregon, Colorado, USC, and Washington.
Thatcher recently narrowed his list down to six schools before committing to Whittingham and the Utes. He's currently the top player in Utah's 2025 recruiting class and noted as the No. 6 linebacker in the nation, according to ESPN. To say that Thatcher loves to get physical out on the field is an understatement. He has the ability to drop back in coverage or crowd the line depending on the situation. The numbers don't lie either with 95 tackles (five for loss), two sacks, and an interception in just seven games as a junior.
Utah currently has seven commits on the books for next year after losing three-star QB Shaker Reisig on Monday. Thatcher joins Wyatt Becker as the only other four-star recruit. Whittingham and his staff will look to make a splash in the Beehive State with six of the top ten players currently uncommitted.
KENNY LEE