While there is still a month left to be played in the 2025 college football season, another deadline is approaching the sport — the early signing period.
This year’s early signing period for the 2026 recruiting class runs from Dec. 3-5.
That means crunch time not just on the field of play, but on the recruiting trail as well.
In the past week, that’s led to several reported developments that involved both BYU and Utah.
Tradon Bessinger opens his recruitment back up
Could BYU be in the running for one of the top rising quarterbacks in the 2026 class, who coincidentally enough hails from Utah?
Davis High quarterback Tradon Bessinger jumped from No. 306 to No. 205 nationally in 247 Sports’ composite rankings this week, with the release of an updated ESPN 300 rankings — and it vaulted him to the level of a four-star composite recruit with a 0.9251 rating.
On Monday, 247 Sports’ Blair Angulo reported that Bessinger had reopened his recruitment after committing to Boise State during the summer.
Bessinger has received several new offers in the last couple of months, including one from BYU, and took an official visit to Iowa this past weekend, Angulo reported.
Angulo then dropped the news that Bessinger will be taking an official visit to BYU on Nov. 15, the same day the No. 10 Cougars host TCU.
"BYU is one for sure, I know I want to take an official visit there," Bessinger told Angulo. "UCLA is another one, although it’s a bit hard with them since they don’t have a head coach. I think I want to hold off on making a decision until I know who the hire at UCLA will be, just knowing it’s a great school and a great place to be."
If BYU were to land Bessinger’s services, it would have two of the top 15 quarterbacks in the 2026 class, according to the 247 Sports composite rankings, with composite five-star California talent Ryder Lyons already verbally committed to BYU.
ESPN vaulted Bessinger to the No. 9 quarterback overall in the 2026 class in its updated ESPN 300 rankings.
He is the highest uncommitted quarterback in the 2026 class, after backing off his Boise State commitment.
The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Bessinger has led Davis to a 9-1 record this season, while throwing for 3,587 yards, 44 touchdowns and just two interceptions.
He was named to the 6A first team as a junior by the Deseret News and earned honorable mention 6A honors as a sophomore.
Bessinger has thrown for 10,183 yards and 118 touchdowns in his prep career.
The Darts, as the No. 3 seed in the 6A playoffs, will host No. 14 Bingham in the postseason’s second round Friday at 4 p.m. MDT.
Kelvin Obot takes a massive jump in ESPN’s rankings
Utah’s top verbal commit, Fruitland High (Idaho) offensive tackle Kelvin Obot, already is rated a five-star talent and the No. 4 player in the 2026 recruiting class by Rivals.
In ESPN’s recruiting rankings, though, Obot also got a significant bump this week, moving from No. 292 nationally to No. 74.
“It’s hard to argue with Utah’s results. Caleb Lomu and Spencer Fano are both ranked signees who developed into multiyear starters and project as first-round NFL picks. Obot could be the next in line at offensive tackle,” ESPN’s Craig Haubert wrote.
“He’s a big-bodied prospect who still needs to fill out his frame but offers excellent raw tools, highlighted by impressive body quickness and flexibility.”
With that bump in ESPN’s rankings — it was previously the only one that didn’t have Obot as a top-100 player in this year’s recruiting class — Obot is now up to the No. 38 recruit nationally and fourth-best offensive tackle in this year’s class in 247 Sports’ composite rankings, with a 0.9832 rating.
Utes add another offensive line commit
Speaking of offensive linemen, Utah added another commitment to bolster the trenches this week.
That came from three-star talent Mataalii Benjamin, a 6-foot-7, 315-pound lineman at Lehi High, who made the commitment Wednesday.
Benjamin had previously been committed to Minnesota. He became the fourth offensive lineman to verbally commit to the Utes in this cycle, along with Obot, Moses Sparks Jr. (Rio Rancho, New Mexico) and Rowdy Pearce (Midland, Texas).
Oregon offers a Utah commit
Not every bit of news this week would be viewed as positive for either Utah or BYU.
That included Rivals’ Adam Gorney reporting that Utah commit and running back LaMarcus Bell, a three-star talent from Lake Oswego, Oregon, has been offered by the Big Ten’s Oregon.
Bell was at Utah this past weekend on an official visit when the Utes beat Colorado 53-7, a game in which Utah rushed for 422 yards, and that kind of rushing attack made an impression with him, Gorney reported.
“It was amazing seeing how much Utah uses their running backs,” Bell told Gorney. “Just gets me more and more excited to be a part of their program.
“They are very excited for me to join them and have so much faith in me to be the next great running back to come out of Utah.”
A former Utah tight end commit flips
Josiah Jefferson, the No. 1-rated junior college tight end in the 2026 class, had previously committed to Utah, but this week, Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett reported that Jefferson has flipped his commitment to USC.
Utah originally announced after his commitment that he had signed with Utah and was expected to join the roster for the 2025 season, but he is now back at Southwestern Community College in Chula Vista, California, playing there this year.
SEC school in pursuit of a BYU commit
Over the summer, BYU was able to flip three-star cornerback Jaxson Gates from Syracuse and get his commitment.
Missouri now is pushing hard to have the Damien High (La Verne, California) prospect commit to the SEC program, according to Rivals’ Gorney.
Gates attended the Tigers’ win over UMass earlier this season and is planning on visiting again for Missouri’s game against Mississippi State on Nov. 15, Gorney reported.
“Their message to me has been about the development in the SEC and they have the most draft picks,” Gates told Gorney. “They were selling me on that.
“I like Mizzou a lot. I’m going to go to another game. I could definitely see myself being a Mizzou Tiger for sure.”
BYU commits playing this week in Utah high school playoffs
Note: recruits listed in order of 247 Sports composite ranking
Second-round games, all played Friday
- Brock Harris, TE, Pine View — 4A, No. 11 Skyline at No. 6 Pine View, 4 p.m.
- Bott Mulitalo, IOL, Lone Peak — 6A, No. 11 Farmington at No. 6 Lone Peak, 3 p.m.
- Legend Glasker, WR, Lehi — 6A, No. 10 Lehi at No. 7 American Fork, 4 p.m.
- Kaue Akana, WR, Orem — 5A, No. 13 Timpview at No. 4 Orem, 4 p.m.
- Lopeti ‘Juni’ Moala, Edge, Orem — 5A, No. 13 Timpview at No. 4 Orem, 4 p.m.
- Adam Bywater, LB, Olympus — 5A, No. 12 Olympus at No. 5 Woods Cross, 4 p.m.
- Graham Livingston, WR, Ridgeline — 4A, No. 16 East at No. 1 Ridgeline, 4 p.m.
- Devaughn Eka, RB, Lehi — 6A, No. 10 Lehi at No. 7 American Fork, 4 p.m.
What to watch for: Orem has been knocked out of the playoffs each of the past three seasons by Timpview, but this year, the Tigers have the higher seed and will be at home for the second-round matchup.
“I would say my high school career is, I’ve had everything, I’ve gotten all the offers, all the stats last year. So one thing I don’t have is that ring, that state championship. So that’s for sure No. 1,” Akana told the Deseret News in September.
Glasker and Eka have been major catalysts for Lehi’s success this season, but to advance, the Pioneers will need to go on the road and beat fellow Region 3 school American Fork.
Lehi beat the Cavemen 26-3 in the regular season, and Eka had 143 rushing yards and two touchdowns in that game.
Harris, rated the No. 40 prospect nationally by ESPN, has been a force for Pine View this year, as he finished the regular season with 47 receptions for 866 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Can the Panthers extend their season with Skyline headed to southern Utah?
Utah commits playing this week in Utah high school playoffs
Note: recruits listed in order of 247 Sports composite ranking
Second-round games, all played Friday
- Jaron Pula, WR, Lone Peak — 6A, No. 11 Farmington at No. 6 Lone Peak, 3 p.m.
- Kennan Pula, WR, Lone Peak — 6A, No. 11 Farmington at No. 6 Lone Peak, 3 p.m.
- Aisa Galea’i, S, Orem — 5A, No. 13 Timpview at No. 4 Orem, 4 p.m.
- Mataalii Benjamin, OL, Lehi — 6A, No. 10 Lehi at No. 7 American Fork, 4 p.m.
What to watch for: Lone Peak is on a three-game losing streak heading into the postseason, a surprise considering the Knights’ last win was a dominant 42-21 effort over Corner Canyon back in mid-September.
Lone Peak and Farmington met during the regular season, with the Knights winning 34-7 just before Region 3 play started.
The Pula twins have helped power a solid Lone Peak passing attack — the pair have combined for 76 receptions for 1,119 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns this season, according to MaxPreps.
Galea’i has been a do-everything force for Orem this season after transferring from Timpview, and now he’ll have the chance to help eliminate his former team.
In addition to his standout work in the Tigers’ defense, Galea’i has been a key player offensively at running back and also been a special teams ace.