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Utah Receives Commitment From 2021 In-State Prospect Isaac Vaha

Just days after losing out on in-state safety Jeffrey Bassa, Utah rebounded with an even bigger commitment (literally) from three-star in-state prospect Isaac Vaha, a two-sport athlete with massive potential

Ryan Kostecka

Isaac Vaha is staying home.

On Thursday, the three-star tight end announced on Twitter that he would be staying home and suiting up for Utah.

This is a huge pickup for Utah, mainly because it keeps one of the top in-state prospects home. Vaha possesses a massive amount of potential at the tight end position , especially considering he's only been playing football for a few years. He's still figuring out one the specifics of the position and once he puts it altogether, he can be a massive threat on offense.

Vaha held 19 offers altogether, 15 of them at the FBS level, which included 9 of the 12 Pac-12 programs. He chose the Utes over a final seven that included BYU, Pac-12 programs UCLA, Arizona State, Washington and Oregon and outlier Penn State.

"Going all the way back to October when I started getting offers, my dad has helped me through the process and he would always tell me 'go where you feel wanted' over and over he'd tell me to go to a place where I was wanted," Vaha told 247sports after committing. "With Utah I've talked to the coaches, the personnel staff, the people around the program and everyone I've talked to the entire time I felt that I was wanted there."

"The academics were also a big part of my decision, not just the high quality of education, but everything they provide us to succeed academically was super important to me as well and why I've decided to commit."

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Utah has now jumped up one spot to No. 8 in the Pac-12 and No. 53 in the nation (+8 spots). Vaha is Utah's fourth highest-rated commit in the class, sitting right behind four stars in quarterback Peter Costelli and linebacker Mason Tufaga and three-star running back Ricky Parks.

If anybody wants to talk about a player with potential, Vaha is a guy whose name has not only be mentioned, but talked about.

Blessed with incredible size, athleticism and grace, Vaha hasn't even begun to realize his potential in football considering he's been a basketball player for so long. He's extremely raw to the game of football but he's a natural born athlete and has proven to be a quick learner.

His basketball background makes Vaha and immediate redzone threat on the gridiron, and with more technique, experience and refining of the game, could make him thrive on the football field for the Utes.

Offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig has been reinvented the tight end position in Utah's offense, as evidenced by the emergence of Brant Kuithe last season.

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There is also the possibility Vaha tries to dual-sport in both football and basketball.

As of right now, he is much more comfortable on the basketball court and shows good touch, strength and athleticism as a forward. If he was to focus solely on basketball, there's no doubt that he could play at the Power 5 level.

Utah added one tight end in the 2020 recruiting class with 3* Connor O'Toole, so potential early playing time is there. But Vaha is seen as a project and could really take off as a junior and senior once he defines his abilities more.

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Ryan Kostecka
RYAN KOSTECKA

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