The Utah football program added to its 2027 recruiting class Tuesday as Skyline High School standout Jonah Mailei announced his pledge to the Utes via social media.
Mailei became the first 2027 running back prospect to commit to Utah, which picked up its fourth pledge in the class following Mailei’s decision. He chose Morgan Scalley and company over competing offers from Oregon State, Boise State, San Diego State and Northern Arizona.
The 6-foot-tall tailback received interest from multiple Pac-12 schools despite flying under recruiting services’ radars. Mailei didn’t hold a ranking from 247Sports, On3/Rivals or ESPN at the time of his commitment, despite putting a together a productive junior season in which he played both sides of the ball for the Eagles.
Mailei tallied over 1,500 yards from scrimmage, including 1,215 rush yards on 189 attempts (6.4 per carry), and scored 12 touchdowns on offense. From his linebacker spot, he recorded 48 tackles, one sack and an interception. He also had a defensive touchdown against East High School in October.
Mailei was recognized with an all-state honorable mention nod for his efforts as a two-way player.
Time will tell how the local high school star’s collegiate career will pan out with the Utes. Utah’s running back room in 2027 could look very similar to its current state considering Wayshawn Parker, Steve Chavez-Soto, Daniel Bray and LaMarcus Bell will have eligibility remaining, along with Mateaki Helu and Boston Reinhold as depth pieces. But the volatility of the transfer portal makes it impossible to project who could be on Utah’s roster next offseason, which is why high school recruiting is important for Scalley and his staff to prioritize.
Though he doesn’t have the recruiting pedigree of a high-profile prospect, Mailei comes from a football family nonetheless. He’s the son of former NFL tailback and Super Bowl champion Marcus Mailei, a Weber State alum who won the 2009 Super Bowl as a member of the New Orleans Saints. Marcus originally signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent after finishing his collegiate career as a two-time All-Big Sky player with the Wildcats.
Utah’s 2027 recruiting class increased to four commitments with Mailei’s decision on Tuesday and ranked No. 69 in the country on 247Sports:
- Jack Henderson: No. 86-ranked linebacker from Boise, Idaho
- Tiki Teeples: No. 125-ranked defensive lineman from Waddell, Arizona
- Kingston Parks: No. 174-ranked wide receiver from Aledo, Texas
Player rankings via 247Sports
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