One day less than a month after the 2016 National Signing Day, the University of Utah football program picked up its first commitment of the 2017 recruiting cycle from a local prospect.
Snow College defensive lineman John Penisini, who prepped at West Jordan High School, tweeted Wednesday that he's decided to play for the Utes after his days with the Badgers are over.
Listed at 6-foot-1 and 292 pounds, Penisini had become a coveted prospect locally, as he also held an offer from BYU. As a freshman in 2015, Penisini had 40 tackles and three sacks.
While Penisini is the first player to commit to Utah during this recruiting cycle, he's the second player overall committed to the Utes for the 2017 class, the other being Provo High School wide receiver Ty Jones.
Penisini did not immediately return a message seeking additional comment.
Ryan McDonald is a sports reporter at DeseretNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ryanwmcdonald.