Utah Utes: True Freshmen To Watch in 2020

Every February (and now December) college football teams sign a new class of football players to join their program. It’s exciting to dream about what a prospect can become in the future but come September, some of those freshman will redshirt and wait for their opportunity to shine, while a few will be given the chance to make an immediate impact this season. In this series we will take a team by team look at the true freshman who could be given the opportunity to make a name for themselves in 2020. Today we will look at the Utah Utes true freshmen to watch in 2020.

We already featured Clark Phillips in the freshman spotlight so we will not discuss him in this article though we obviously expect him to play in 2020. You can read about him in the freshman spotlight by clicking here.

Xavier Carlton – DE

Bradlee Anae recorded 13 sacks for Utah last year but he has moved on to Dallas where he will be making plays on Sundays. The two starters in 2020 will likely be Mike Tafua and Maxs Tupai who are both experienced players and have had some success. Beyond that Fua Pututau played some last year and Mike Suguturaga redshirted, so there isn’t a lot of production here. The Utes will need depth at defensive end and tackle in 2019 and a newcomer or two will have the chance to show what they can do. Carlton has the size and skills to make an impact at multiple spots on Utah’s defensive front and should do just that in 2020.

Xavier Carlton starred at Juan Diego Catholic High School in Utah. Carlton has a tremendous frame to work with on the defensive line at 6’7″ 262 lbs already and he should continue to add good weight. He has excellent length making him difficult for offensive lineman to lock on to. That length coupled with the array of pass rushing moves Carlton uses make him a handful for blockers. Carlton has good burst at his size and can get in the backfield quickly. With his size and ability Carlton is ready to contribute and could play various spots on the defensive line depending on the situation. He will crack the defensive line rotation and get a chance to make an impact this season for Utah.

Van Fillinger – DE

We just explained the need for defensive ends to contribute immediately for the Utes, but Utah also lost both their starting defensive tackles. Hauati Pututau and Viane Moala got a good amount of playing time last year and will start in 2020 but the depth beyond that is unproven. Pita Tonga is an experienced senior but he is the only other experienced tackle on the roster. There are young players who will be called on to step up but Utah may end up sliding bigger defensive ends inside to provide depth at times. We already mentioned that Carlton can play across the front and so can the aforementioned Fua Pututau. This means more than one defensive linemen could be called on to play right away and Van Fillinger is up to the task as well.

Van Fillinger was a star at Corner Canyon High School in Utah. He is not as big as Carlton but has a good frame and length in his own right at 6’4″ 255 lbs. Fillinger should continue to get bigger and stronger as he matures and could play defensive end or a three technique at times. His hand usage and technique is advanced for a young player and he is a ready made pass rusher now. Fillinger is not a one trick pony, he is a strong player against the run as well. He plays with a high motor and won’t be give away reps, but instead will put pressure on the offensive line all game long. Fillinger will also make an impact this year and find a spot in the defensive line rotation. The combination of Carlton and Fillinger will make for an exciting young combination on the Utah defensive line.

Nate Ritchie – S

The Utah secondary will need to be rebuilt in 2020. We already discussed the need at cornerback when we wrote about Clark Phillips and when we picked JaTravis Broughton as Utah’s breakthrough second year player. At safety, both Terrell Burgess and Julian Blackmon have moved on and new safeties will have to emerge in 2020. Josh Nurse has also exhausted his eligibility leaving RJ Hubert as the sole returning safety with significant production. The Utes will need to find at least one starter at safety and more players to fill out the two deep. There is plenty of playing time available for newcomers to contribute immediately.

Nate Ritchie had a successful career at Lone Peak High School in Utah. Ritchie is a tall safety with good size and strength. He moves well in the secondary and has good range. In addition to his range, Ritchie has the instincts and intelligence to diagnose what the offense is attempting to do and get in position to make the play. Ritchie is not limited to being a cover safety either, he can play in the box and sift through traffic to get to the ball carrier. Ritchie is a good tackler who has good burst to close on the ball carrier and deliver the hit. He is not a finished product but Ritchie has the versatility and instincts to play right away and be an asset for the defense. We expect him to at least be in the two deep, but more likely than not move into a starting role as a true freshman.

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