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LOGAN — The top tight end in the state of Utah and the No. 9 ranked quarterback highlight the 2017 signing class for the Utah State football team.
There were 21 players who signed with the Aggies, seven of whom came from the state of Utah, which is something USU head coach Matt Wells believes is important for his program.
"First of all, you look at the state of Utah," Wells said. "Seven signees from the state. We'll always recruit this state first and foremost. It's important. You've got mission kids in there, Polynesian pipeline, everything that we're all about at Utah State."
Lehi tight end Carson Terrell and Hollywood, Florida, quarterback Henry Colombi are both three-star recruits who highlight a class that is full of speed and fills voids that were left due to graduation.
Seven players are from the junior college ranks, and it fits right into the average between four and eight that Wells likes to have on his roster.
"Those guys are recruited to come in and compete immediately," Wells said.
Terrell earned Utah Class 5A first-team all-state honors as he caught 57 passes for 837 yards and eight touchdowns during his senior season for the Pioneers. Terrell is expected to come in and compete for playing time right away.
"Carson is a big tight end that can really run," Wells said. "He is a multi-sport athlete that possesses really good ball skills, and he will compete immediately for playing time."
Colombi earned first-team all-county honors as a prep senior at Chamindae Madonna College Prep in Hollywood, Florida. The 6-foot-3 quarterback threw for over 1,500 yards and 14 touchdowns while also rushing for 590 yards and five touchdowns.
"Henry has good arm strength and is very accurate," Wells said. "He possesses better mobility than he is given credit for, and he plays with a lot of moxie. Henry will be a winning quarterback at Utah State. Henry was one of our very first commits and stayed true to us."
For Wells and his coaching staff, filling voids at linebacker and the offensive line was a priority, and it shows in who the Aggies signed.
Five offensive linemen and five linebackers were signed at each position, highlighted by Alta offensive lineman Chandler Dolphin.
"A kid from in-state that is mean and nasty and that I think has got a bright, bright future here at Utah State," Wells said when referring to Dolphin.
Louy Compton out of Ellsworth Community College and Suli Tamaivena out of Mt. San Antonio Junior College highlight the linebackers the Aggies signed. Both Compton and Tamaivena are expected to have an immediate impact on the USU defense. Compton earned NJCAA second-team All-American honors as he recorded 60 tackles, 14.5 sacks and 18.0 tackles for loss.
Tamaivena earned California Community College Athletic Association first-team All-America honors as he racked up 81 tackles, 9.0 sacks and 20.0 tackles for loss during his sophomore season in 2015.
Speed was another element the Aggies added in the recruiting process. Three-star athlete Jamaal Evans and three-star wide receiver Savon Scarver add what Wells called sprinter speed, and both have developed chemistry with each other as they played together at Centennial High School in Las Vegas.
"Savon is a confident football player with track speed," Wells said. "He is a very good route runner that possesses really good hands and tremendous ball skills. Jamaal is extremely athletic and could see time at a variety of positions during his Aggie career. He is a very confident player with a tremendous upside."
Here is the complete list of the new USU signees:
High school signees (14)
- Heneli Avendano*, OL, 6'3", 305, Sandy, UT (Jordan HS)
- Henry Colombi, QB, 6'3", 190, Hollywood, FL (Chamidae Madonna College Prep)
- Chandler Dolphin, OL, 6'4", 285, Sandy, UT (Alta HS)
- Alfred Edwards, OL, 6'7", 290, Redlands, CA (Redlands HS)
- Jamaal Evans, ATH, 6'3", 225, Las Vegas, (Centennial HS)
- Jarrod Green, CB, 6'0", 165, Elk Grove, CA (Cosumnes Oaks HS)
- Mata Hola*, LB, 6'3", 230, Sandy, UT (Alta HS)
- Zahodri Jackson, CB, 5'10", 165, Sarasota, FL (Riverview HS)
- Savon Scarver, WR, 6'0", 190, Las Vegas, (Centennial HS)
- Josh Sterzer*, LB, 6'4", 225, Salt Lake City (Taylorsville HS)
- Carson Terrell, TE, 6'4", 240, Lehi, UT (Lehi HS)
- Nami Tuitu'u, DL, 6'2", 275, Mesa, AZ (Mesa HS)
- Izzy Vaifo'ou*, LB, 6'3", 200, Salt Lake City (Highland HS)
- Kyle Van Leeuwen*, WR, 5'10", 180, Provo, UT, (Timpview HS) *Denotes that player will serve LDS Church mission before enrolling at Utah State. Junior college signees (7)
- Eltoro Allen, RB, 5'10", 195, Elk Grove, CA (Elk Grove HS/Riverside CC)
- Devon Anderson, DE, 6'3", 270, Baltimore (Overlea HS/Dodge City CC)
- Roman Andrus, OL, 6'4", 280, El Dorado Hills, CA (Oakridge HS/Snow JC)
- Rob Castaneda, OL, 6'4", 305, Round Rock, TX (Round Rock HS/Ellsworth CC)
- Louy Compton, LB, 6'2", 220, Waterford, MI (Waterford Mott HS/Ellsworth CC)
- Deante Fortenberry, CB, 5'11", 195, Oakland, CA (Pittsburgh HS/CC of San Francisco)
- Suli Tamaivena, LB, 6'0", 235, Kirkland, WA (Juanita HS/Mt. San Antonio JC)
