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Utah Receives Commitment From 2021 Four-Star Linebacker Ethan Calvert

In its biggest recruiting win of the 2021 class, Utah went into Southern California and plucked out top commitment Ethan Calvert, a four-star linebacker who possesses NFL ability

Ryan Kostecka

Ethan Calvert is making a name for himself and coming to Utah.

With brothers playing for both UCLA and Washington, the four-star linebacker out of Oaks Christian High School in Southern California announced Thursday night via Instagram that he has verbally committed to the Utes. 

His final four schools also included Washington, UCLA and USC.

This is hands down Utah's biggest win on the 2021 recruiting trail as Calvert was closely linked to local schools USC and UCLA. Not only did the Utes secure one of the top players and linebackers in the nation, they took him away from Pac-12 south division rivals.

Calvert ranks as the the nation's No. 3 inside linebacker and No. 67 overall recruit. He joins four-star Mason Tufaga and three-star Trey Reynolds as inside linebacker commits for the Utes in the 2021 class.

Two months ago, the Utes appeared to be longshots to land his services, especially considering USC is attempting to return to national prominence and is close to home, while his oldest brother Bo suits up for the Bruins.

Also, Ethan had yet to visit Utah's campus — while visiting the Trojans and Bruins multiple times over the years. So when he was able to take a trip north in September to see the campus and get a feel for it, that was considered a huge win in Utah's recruiting world and what led to the Utes securing his services.

Ethan Calvert - 1

A few things ultimately sealed his commitment to the Utes: 1.) Potential early playing time 2.) Familiarity with the coaches 3.) Defensive scheme.

Utah has a good tradition of putting defensive players — and linebackers — into the NFL, most notably evident after nine starters from last year's squad are now on NFL rosters. A lot of that has to do with its player development and free-playing ability the linebackers have. The Utes have big defensive linemen whose job it is to occupy offensive linemen, which allows linebackers to fill holes and attack, something Calvert does extremely well.

Utah is also currently starting a pair of junior linebackers in Devin Lloyd and Nephi Sewell, with their backups being freshman Sione Fotu and sophomore Andrew Mata'afa. This bodes well for Calvert as by the time he arrives onto campus, there is definitely the chance of early playing time.

Also, he's known Utah's coaches since he was a freshman in high school as both head coach Kyle Whittingham and defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley made multiple in-home visits to recruit Ethan's older brothers, Bo (UCLA) and Josh (Washington). That familiarity with them paid huge dividends in the end.

Ethan is Utah's 16th commit of the 2021 class, and the highest-rated. His commit vaults the Utes to the No. 5 class in the Pac-12 and No. 33 in the nation, a far cry from where the program sat on Halloween — No. 9 in the conference and 67th in the country.

Utah now has 10 commitments on the defensive side of the ball, a huge boost for the program after being decimated by this past NFL draft. 

Here's a complete breakdown of Calvert's game by SI's director of recruiting John Garcia Jr.

Prospect: Ethan Calvert
Status: SI All-American candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-3, 225 pounds
Position: Outside Linebacker/Wide Receiver
School: Westlake Village (Calif.) Oaks Christian
Committed: Utah
Projected Position: Linebacker

Frame: Great defensive build. Tall with broad shoulders and above-average length. Muscular throughout, with room to add mass to lower half at the next level.

Athleticism: Calvert is the youngest of three brothers playing big roles in the Pac-12 and some say he has the talent to be the best among them. Strong straight-line linebacker with closing speed and considerable pop upon contact. Runs better than expected, relative to the frame, in the open field. Solid quickness in the wash with navigational ability.

Instincts: Sharp risk-taker whether dealing with contain, pursuit angles or gauging blockers. Can get to ball carrier with speed and redirect without much warning. At his best when path to assignment is on a linear path but flashes pass rushing upside on the edge as needed. He can take on blockers with length and leverage but prefers to win with athleticism.

Polish: While aggressive, plays within responsibility with efficiency and speed. He can scream downhill and make a play behind the line just as well as he can scrape over the top and fill a hole with purpose. Strong prospect with well-above-average football IQ evident in coverage despite a slight lack of fluidity in space.

Bottom Line: Calvert has the look and game of an old school inside linebacker with plenty of flashy traits along the way. He can thrive in the A and B gaps with downhill execution and hold his own as an underneath defender against the pass. But when it comes to projecting him at the collegiate level, he is a see ball, get ball linebacker with great fundamentals and plenty of pop to build upon.

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RYAN KOSTECKA

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