Four-star edge rusher Hunter Clegg is transferring from Utah football to BYU

One of the jewels of Utah’s new recruiting class is now heading south.

Four-star edge rusher Hunter Clegg decommitted from Utah to BYU after returning home from his mission with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints this week.

The American Fork product was one of the top three players in the state coming out of high school. He was originally part of the 2023 recruiting class – with highly touted players like four-stars Jackson Bowers and Walker Lyons.

BYU made a big push to sign Clegg a few years ago. In the summer of 2022, head coach Kalani Sitake hosted Clegg as part of BYU’s highest-profile recruiting weekend of the cycle. BYU had Clegg, Bowers, Lyons and offensive lineman Ethan Thomason on campus at the same time. With the collection of four-star players in Provo, the coaching staff portrayed this group as the cornerstone of BYU’s early Big 12 era. Sitake had one-on-one meetings with all of them. The weekend included photo shoots in the mountains, a trip to Deer Lake and top golf.

“It definitely felt like this was an important weekend for the program,” Thomason told the Salt Lake Tribune at the time. “They didn’t exaggerate it to the point where it was unrealistic. But you felt it was really important.”

After this weekend, Thomason and Bowers both committed to BYU. But Clegg and Lyons went elsewhere.

Lyons ended up at USC – where he played 10 games for Lincoln Riley last season. Utah also recruited Lyons heavily and the program was surprised he didn’t come to Salt Lake.

Clegg embarked on a mission but was vacillating between commitments. He originally promised to go to Stanford, but backed out after a coaching change. Then he announced he was going to Utah.

Now he has signed with the Cougars.

Clegg’s addition is important for two reasons. For one, edge rusher is a position the Cougars need.

Defensive coordinator Jay Hill was looking for a pass rusher who could generate sacks. Over the past two years, the majority of BYU’s pass rush has come from the linebacker position with Harrison Taggart and Isaiah Glasker. Getting to the quarterback with a four-man rush is a crucial part of Hill’s plan, he said.

But perhaps more importantly, Clegg’s transfer from Utah continues the trend of BYU seeking out-of-state recruits who have already committed to the Utes.

Last cycle, Hill put pressure on the state’s No. 3 player, Faletau Satuala, to transfer from Salt Lake to Provo. He was able to sign Satuala at the last second.

Satuala and other recruits said part of Hill’s attitude was stability. Kyle Whittingham’s possible retirement played a role, according to recruits, as BYU was on the rise among Utah recruits.

“I think (stability) is important,” said 2025 recruit Taani Makasini. Makasini was recruited by both BYU and Utah but signed with the Cougars in that class.

“I don’t want to go anywhere and the person who hired me is no longer there. I go there to learn from him. I’m not going there to learn from whoever gets hired next,” Makasini said.