The NCAA transfer portal hasn’t even opened yet, but already there is movement in Utah.
Specifically, a now former Utah Ute is headed to Logan to join the Utah State Aggies.
Former University of Utah safety Jadon Pearson announced his commitment to the Aggies on social media Tuesday night, with a simple, “Utah State... Let’s ride.”
A graduate transfer with two years of eligibility remaining, Pearson entered the transfer portal early this year, on Oct. 26, preserving a year of eligibility.
He had previously announced in the spring that he intended to transfer from Utah, before electing instead to return to the Utes and play in four games this year as a reserve.
A former junior college transfer, via Reeding College, the 6-foot-3, 208-pound Pearson finished with four tackles in four games played this season, while serving as depth behind Utah safeties Cole Bishop and Sione Vaki.
In 2022, Pearson played in 13 games as a reserve, primarily on special teams, and finished the year with five tackles.
From Gilbert, Arizona, Pearson was rated a three-star JUCO prospect, by 247Sports, ahead of joining the Utes.
He was also rated the No. 34 junior college player in the 2022 recruiting class and held scholarship offers from a dozen schools including Oregon State, Florida State, Washington State, Missouri, Indiana and Kansas.
Pearson will join an Aggie secondary that was the team’s strength this season on defense, though given his size and versatility, Pearson will almost certainly play linebacker and/or striker for Utah State.