Jason Cooper and Chad Knowles, considered by many to be the top two Utah prep football recruits, will both sign national letters of intent next week to play football for BYU next fall.
It also appears that Don Goodman, a heavily recruited 6-foot-8, 305-pound tackle from Cerritos (Calif.) Junior College, is leaning toward BYU, although on Friday evening he told the Deseret News, "I want to wait until Monday before I make my final decision."Goodman, an honorable mention junior college All-American, has narrowed his choices to BYU, Houston, Washington State and USC.
National letter of intent day is Wednesday.
While Goodman refuses to say he will definitely attend BYU, that is not the case with Cooper and Knowles.
Cooper, a two-time first-team all-state wide receiver from Bonneville High School, told the Deseret News Friday evening that he chose BYU, "because of their passing game, the national recognition of their program and their excellent academics." Cooper had narrowed his choices to Washington and BYU.
Knowles, the state 4A Player of the Year for state champion Alta High, was out of town on a recruiting visit Friday, but his father, Gary, told the Deseret News, "He's committed to BYU."
NCAA rules forbid collegiate coaches to comment on recruits.
Both Cooper and Knowles will take impressive credentials to BYU. Cooper, who is 6-foot-1, 175 pounds and has run under 4.5 seconds for 40 yards, was named Utah Gatorade Player of the Year last year after catching 61 passes for 1,024 yards and 10 touchdowns. That brought his career totals to 158 catches, 2,707 yards, 25 TDs. Bonneville advanced to the quarterfinals of the state tournament.
Knowles, a 6-foot-31/2, 194-pound running back, also was named Utah's Player of the Year - by the Touchdown Club of Atlanta and the Deseret News. He rushed for 1,319 yards and 16 touchdowns on 182 carries, despite missing one game.
Knowles, who has 4.5-4.6 type speed, was a close runner-up in the BYU Invitational decathlon competition last year. His father played running back briefly for BYU in 1964.> Another top Utah recruit, Jason Maughn, a lineman at Mountain Crest High School, reportedly is vacillating between BYU and Utah State (although there are reports he is leaning toward USU).> The Cougars, who are concentrating their recruiting efforts on linemen this year, also appear set to sign Jim Edwards, a standout center and wrestler from Meridian, Idaho.