A bunch of players with Utah ties are on the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year watch list

Published: Aug 19, 2021, 10:09 a.m. MDT

BYU’s Chaz Ah You, Utah’s Mika Tafua and Oregon’ Noah Sewell, who prepped at Orem High, were among several players with Utah ties were included on the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year watch list. — Several players with Utah ties were included on the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year watch list, including, from left, BYU safety Chaz Ah You, Utah defensive end Mika Tafua and Oregon linebacker Noah Sewell, who prepped at Orem High. Deseret News and Associated Press photos

By Ryan McDonald

Last season among the many accolades he received, former BYU Cougars quarterback Zach Wilson was named the co-Polynesian College Football Player of the Year alongside former USC Trojans star Talanoa Hufanga.

On Thursday, the preseason watch list for the 2021 award was released, and while there’s no guarantee that one (or more) of the 63 players on it will win, the state of Utah was well-represented.

In all, 19 of the 63 players — nearly a third — have a close connection to the Beehive State. A bunch are playing collegiately in Utah, while another good-sized group went to high school in the state and are now playing at schools elsewhere.

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