Utah Utes Football: Receiving Room Discussion

Breaking down the Utah Utes receiving room in 2024

Utah Utes Wide Receiver Depth Chart

Dorian Singer

Dorian Singer was a 3⭐️ in the composites with an overall rating of 84.03. He is 6-foot and weighs 180 pounds. Singer was part of the 2021 class and initially committed to Arizona, where he broke out in 2022 with 66 receptions for 1,105 yards and six touchdowns. Singer entered the portal and ended up at USC where he could never find his footing as a rotational depth piece. He accumulated 24 receptions for 289 yards and three touchdowns. Singer entered the portal again and committed to the Utah Utes. He becomes the most decorated receiver in the wide receiver room, and has one year of eligibility remaining.

Caleb Williams to Dorian Singer. Get used to it✌️

pic.twitter.com/BeAU9GEPFG

— PFF College (@PFF_College) August 27, 2023

Money Parks

Money Parks was a 3⭐️ in the composites with an overall rating of 84.80. He is 5-foot-10 and weighs 170 pounds. Parks was part of the 2020 class and is Utah’s leading returning Wide Receiver based on production with 31 catches for 293 yards and two touchdowns. He lined up out wide 78% of the time last year but was targeted on short area passes (less than 10 yards) 48% of the time. It might be wise for Parks to operate out of the slot with that kind of usage. Parks has two years of eligibility remaining.

Taeshaun Lyons

Taeshaun Lyons was a 4⭐️ in the composites with an overall rating of 91.73. He is 6-foot-1 and weighs 170 pounds. Lyons was part of the 2023 class and initially committed to Washington before entering the portal and recently committing to Utah for the 2024 season. He sat behind a stacked room in Washington, and wasn’t able to crack the rotation. He is a very good route runner with good lateral movement, and has a knack for finding ways to win. Lyons also competed in track and field, and has added ten pounds since his High School Senior year where he hauled in 41 receptions for 1,007 yards and ten touchdowns. He has four years of eligibility remaining.

Luca Calderella

Luca Calderella was an unranked prospect in the composites but was given a low 3⭐️ by 247 sports. He is 6-foot-3 and weighs 202 pounds. Calderella was part of the 2021 class and saw limited playing time last year with three receptions for 31 yards. Calderealla has two years of eligibility remaining.

Zacharyus Williams

Zacharyus WIlliams is a 3⭐️ in the composites with an overall rating of 87.88. He is 6-foot-2 and weighs 195 pounds. Williams attended St. Bernard High in California. During his Senior season, he amassed 51 receptions for 943 yards and 13 touchdowns while also being integral in the return game. The receiving room is fairly open and with little depth behind the presumed starting three, I can see WIlliams being second on the depth chart at one of the boundary positions. I can also see Williams rotating in, as he is a talented receiver in a room that doesn’t bring much depth. This is a piece worth watching.

David Washington

David Washington is a 3⭐️ in the composites with an overall rating of 87.27. He is 6-foot and weighs 185 p ounds. Washington attended Arbor View High in Nevada where during his Senior season, he amassed 52 receptions for 826 yards and seven touchdowns. Washington could easily be a swing option. He possess the athleticism to work in the slot, as well as one of the boundary positions. Washington is an intriguing prospect, and his versatility will come in handy as Utah revamps this receiving room.

Daidren Zipperer

Daidren Zipperer was a 3⭐️ in the composites with an overall rating of 83.65. He is 6-foot and weighs 175lbs. Zipperer did not see action in 2023, and could not make the rotation. Zipperer has four years of eligibility remaining.

Tight End Depth Chart

With Utah, we must consider the tight end position as they use multiple tight ends as weapons in the receiving game. We’ll lump in this position group as it pertains to the university and their weapons.

Brant Kuithe

Brant Kuithe was a 3⭐️ in the composites with an overall rating of 83.75. He is 6-foot-2 and weighs 229 pounds. Kuithe was part of the 2018 class and received a Medical redshirt to return for his final season in 2024. He has been an important part of the Utes offense since he came onto campus and is a weapon mismatch that the Utah Utes like to take advantage of. As analysts, we have seen Dalton Kincaid skyrocket and become a top Tight End asset in the NFL. Kuithe should be an integral part of this offense in 2024.

Carson Ryan

Carson Ryan was a 4⭐️ in the composites with an overall rating of 89.56. He is 6-foot-4 and weighs 255 pounds. Ryan was part of the 2022 class and initially committed to UCLA. In two seasons, Ryan has seen limited time with only 19 receptions for 287 yards and three touchdowns. Ryan entered the portal and chose Utah, where he comes back home as a Utah native. He figures to compete for the other Tight End role when Utah goes into their two Tight End sets. In previous years, he has been used as an H-Back role and brings athleticism to the position.

Landen King

Landen King was a 3⭐️ in the composites with an overall rating of 87.40. He is 6-foot-5 and weighs 225lbs. King was part of the 2021 class and initially committed to Auburn before transferring to Utah in the spring of 2023. In his first season for the Utah Utes, King stepped up when injuries stockpiled the position and King had 14 receptions for 166 yards and three touchdowns. He figures to be part of the rotation for the upcoming season. King has two years of eligibility remaining.

Wide Receiver Battle

It’s safe to say that Dorian Singer and Money Parks are two of the starters for the upcoming season. Singer is looking to recoup some value as USC was just a little too stiff of competition for him. Singer tried to capitalize on his outstanding season at Arizona but couldn’t emerge at USC. Now, he now has an easier wide receiver room and should be Cam Rising’s number one target.

With Utah Utes going to the Big 12 where defenses are optional, it will help Singer get off to a fast start. It will be interesting to see if Money Parks slides into the slot or if he keeps his boundary position.

On paper, Taeshaun Lyons should be the other guy to win a starting role. I don’t see him being a full time slot option though, this is what makes this battle interesting. In two side sets, is Money Parks going to get the reps over Lyons? When they move to 3-wide set, who moves into the slot? Lyons doesn’t have much experience in the slot but is such a good lateral mover that he can make it work. Parks is someone who is naturally more of a slot player, but he lined up at the slot position less than 19% of the time last year. Will the Utes keep him out wide, or move him in?

Other slot candidates are David Washington and Daidren Zipperer. Both would be asked to do a lot if they are to get slot reps. This battle really comes down to what the coaching staff will do with Money Parks.

At the end of the day, I believe Money Parks will be the boundary Wide Receiver in 2 WR sets, and when they move to 3 wide sets, Parks will slide in and Taeshaun Lyons will play the boundary role. Utah will be running two tight end sets and all three mentioned above are guys who can absolutely play and be effective. Utah was decimated with injuries last year and this year, if they can stay in one piece, should be an effective offense with multiple chess pieces that they can deploy on defenses. 

Positional Outlook

Last season, the Utah Utes were injury-plagued at each position and it stressed their defense. By the end of the year, the team was just too beat up to compete. A full offseason and the Utes bring in two portal wide receivers to add some juice to go along with a couple of True Freshman coming in to bring some youth to the position.

At tight end, they have a good combination of experience and explosiveness. With Cam Rising back, this passing game should see a huge improvement. With help from the run game, defenses will not be able to stack eight in a box and make the Utes throw to a depleted cast. The Utes will have a say in the outcome of the Big 12, as long as these two positional groups can stay intact and healthy.