Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Kai Meza, a top-20 Utah recruit, de-committed from Minnesota after 23 commitments.
- Meza received offers from Kansas State, Colorado, and Cal, visiting each school.
- He aims to decide after visiting Kansas State Nov. 1-3 amid ongoing recruitment.
DRAPER — Kai Meza, a top-20 recruit in the state and a top-200 receiver in the country, was firm in his commitment to Minnesota and had every reason to be.
But after the Golden Gophers picked up their 23rd commitment in the class of 2026, the Corner Canyon wide out became just the second player to back off a pledge with coach PJ Fleck when he re-opened his recruiting three weeks ago.
"It was very hard," Meza told KSL.com after the Chargers wrapped up an 8-1 regular season and Region 3 title Wednesday night. "I really love coach PJ Fleck and coach Matt Simon, the receivers coach. They showed a lot of love, and it was very hard to make that decision."
Still, when one door closes, another opens. Or in Meza's case, three more.
In the days leading up to the de-commitment, the three-star receiver by 247Sports picked up an offer from Kansas State. He then swiftly took visits to Colorado and Cal, and will decide on his college future after he goes to Manhattan, Kansas, to see what the Wildcats are about from Nov. 1-3.
Right now, those three are squarely in the lead.
"I love each of those coaching staffs, and I'm excited to finish off my visits and meet more of them," said Meza, who also has offers from Arkansas, Boise State, Oklahoma State and Utah, among others.
Meza visited Boulder on Oct. 10, where he made the usual rounds, toured the campus, and took photos in Colorado's myriad uniforms. But on this trip, he also fulfilled a lifelong dream in meeting "Coach Prime," Deion Sanders.
Star struck? Yeah, a little, Meza admits.
"It was amazing," he said. "I loved everything about it. ... Getting to meet Deion? I'm a fan, for sure. It was a lot of fun, and I'd for sure do it again."
Meza burst on the scene as a sophomore, when he caught 57 passes for 1,131 yards and 10 touchdowns at Mountain Ridge. He then transferred to Corner Canyon, where he's spent the last two years catching passes from Texas A&M quarterback commit Helaman Casuga, running track, and holding a 3.6 GPA.
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound receiver caught 46 passes for 944 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior, and has added more than 700 yards and eight touchdowns in nine games as a senior — including two Wednesday night in a 56-3 win at Lehi that secured a share of the Region 3 championship.
And truthfully, he probably could've had more, Corner Canyon coach Eric Kjar said.
"He's so quick in and out of his breaks," Kjar said. "He's got great vertical speed too, but he's so shifty in and out of his breaks.
"He's a big-time player and does a great job for us," he added. "Because our other receivers are pretty good, he probably doesn't get as many targets or as much credit as he deserves. But he's such an unselfish player, too. We try to spread it out as much as we can."
But that's OK for Meza, who is hoping to make a more permanent decision on his college decision — and help the Chargers repeat as 6A champions — this fall.
"I love to see my boys eat. It's great to watch them score. I love how we work together as a team; we're happy for each other."
