BYU just secured one of its most notable recruiting flips in recent memory.
Four-star defensive end Hunter Clegg has backed out of his pledge to Utah and signed with the Cougars, BYU announced Sunday evening.
Clegg was the No. 3 overall recruit out of Utah in the class of 2023, having been committed to both Stanford and Utah before ultimately landing at BYU upon finishing his full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“When you go on a mission, you don’t know how it’s gonna change you, but for me, my goals for football became even more of a reality for me,” Clegg told Mitch Harper of KSL Sports. “I learned how to be disciplined and work a process on my mission and proved to myself that my college and NFL dreams can really be a reality.
“Being in an environment where I can work on a process to become great and surround myself with people and things that lift me up,” Clegg continued. “That became my highest priority, both on and off the field. BYU has become an extremely good place for that.”
During his senior campaign at American Fork High School, he recorded 61 tackles with eight sacks as a First Team 6A All-State selection.
Clegg has returned home from his mission and will join the Cougars for the 2025 season, where he projects to be a key piece for BYU’s future on the defensive line.