Headlining the top in-state preps


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SALT LAKE CITY — On a regular basis throughout the 2016 prep season, we will give a recap of the top in-state prep football players. We track stats, recruitment, news, and any of the special weeks had by those outside the top ten trying to make a name for themselves.

Note: Rankings via 247sports.com

The top 10

1. Jay Tufele: DT, 6'3, 297 (Bingham) — The state's top recruit helped his top-ranked team dominate Westlake, 42-9. Tufele, a highly sought after recruit touting offers from the Pacific to the Atlantic, is said to be favoring Michigan, Ohio State, and Utah. Part of the defensive tackle's allure is his speed; he clocked a 4.90 second 40-yard dash, especially impressive for a man of his stature. Barring injury, he looks like the state's next great defensive lineman.

2. Sione Heimuli-Lund: RB, 6'0, 237 (Brighton) — The senior tailback, currently a commit to Stanford, played well in a loss to Herriman, rushing for a score and managing one through the air. Lund is a workhorse: hardly ever leaving the game, he carried by far the heaviest load of either team's offense, rushing 14 times for 105 yards in addition to six catches for 51 yards and a score, though he was targeted at least twice that often. In response to queries about his recruitment, Lund affirmed he was still a "solid" commit to the Cardinal.

3. Chaz Ah-You: S, 6'1, 199 (Timpview) — Ah You's T-Birds cruised past West 37-0. The rangy safety recently listed his top 12 schools on twitter, including among them BYU, Utah, and Utah State. Ah-You is impressive defending against both the pass and the run, and could be an immediate contributor in a power-five conference.

4. Langi Tuifua: DE, 6'3, 200 (Bingham) — Tuifua's Miners are the early favorites to win the 5A title, in large part thanks to a vaunted defense, of which Tuifua and his teammate Tufele are the headliners. Initially a commit to Utah, Tuifua decommitted in early May, a week after receiving an offer from Oregon, to which he committed in July. Tuifua represents the last of the four-star recruits on this list.

5. Levani Damuni: LB, 6'2, 225 (Ridgeline) — Damuni was held out of Ridgeline's game versus Skyridge for health reasons, as the Falcons beat the Riverhawks 33-14. Damuni currently holds offers from a plethora of top-notch schools, including BYU, Utah, Boise State, Vanderbilt, and Washington State. While also figuring to feature as a running back and a receiver for Ridgeline, Damuni is being recruited primarily as an outside linebacker. You can find highlights for his junior year here.

6. Taniela Pututau: WR, 6'2, 203 (Cottonwood) — Pututau has been listed as a wideout and outside linebacker, but if one had to guess, he will primarily be recruited as a receiver. A true deep threat, Pututau seems to be most effective in jump ball and fade rout situations, utilizing his speed and size to get separation. The senior currently holds nine scholarship offers, notably from BYU, Utah, Utah State, and Washington. Highlights from his junior season can be found here.

7. Jackson McChesney: RB, 5'11, 181 (Lone Peak) — McChesney helped Lone Peak ease past Bountiful 31-13, rushing for 18 yards on eight carries and a touchdown. McChesney is committed to BYU.

8. Ty Jones: WR, 6'4, 175 (Provo) — Jones, a commit to Washington, had a big game for the Bulldogs, catching six balls for 131 yards and two touchdowns. By many accounts a big challenger to Pututau for the title of best in state as far as wideouts go, Jones holds offers from the Utah schools plus Pac-12 giants Cal and Stanford, and a recent offer from Oregon.

9. Ben Bywater: LB, 6'2, 200 (Olympus) — Bywater, a BYU commit, helped the Titans beat Olympus 28-8. Committed since July, Bywater has been a BYU fan his entire life. Primarily being recruited as a linebacker, he also figures to see time as a running back for the Titans this season.

10. Jordan Lolohea: DE, 6'3, 240 (West) — Lolohea's West High Panthers loss to Timpview may have been deflating, but his recruiting stock is on the rise. He currently holds seven offers, with Utah State and Utah both vying for his services.

Recruit on the rise

After a breakout performance against Weber saw him rush for 183 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, Taylor Katoa (Layton) is trying to push his way up the ranking ladder. Currently the 15th ranked recruit in the state, Katoa holds offers from a number of Pac-12 schools, including Utah and Washington. Listed as an athlete, Katoa sees time for Layton at both quarterback and linebacker. Stephen Lindsey is a student at the University of Utah currently working as an intern with KSL.com in Salt Lake City. Contact him at th3sl3@gmail.com or interact via his twitter handle, @th3sl3

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