Four-star wide receiver Blake Wong, one of the top 50 receivers in the class of 2027, has offers from schools all over the country, including powers Ohio State and Oregon.
The 6-foot-1, 170 pound receiver, who caught 84 passes for 1,470 yards and 20 touchdowns last year at Norco High, also has Beehive State schools Utah and BYU in his final five, along with UCLA.
He recently took his official visit to Salt Lake City, and the experience impressed him so much that Utah now has a chance in his recruitment, though beating out Ohio State, Oregon and BYU could be a tough task.
“I think they made a very, very good move with him. I don’t want to call them the favorite, but I think they certainly moved into that very short list,” said On3/Rivals national recruiting analyst Brandon Huffman. “I know BYU is definitely up there as well and Oregon obviously has made a big push there and he’s had a really good relationship with Oregon for some time.”
“... I think Utah certainly went from being, ‘Hey, I’m going to take a visit,’ to very much a consideration for him.”
Wong’s visit to Salt Lake City included all the regular bells and whistles, from a hotel stay to a facilities tour to the customary recruit photoshoot.
There was also a unique aspect of last weekend’s trip for the Latter-day Saint.
Utah arranged a meeting between Wong and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints apostle Elder Ronald A. Rasband at the Church Office Building on Temple Square.
“It was really good to hear the stories that he’s had and ask him important questions about my life and his view on things. It was really good, a really special meeting,” Wong said.
Being able to ask questions was a special experience for Wong.
“Like I said, just being able to ask the questions that I had in my head. I know it’s a very special opportunity and just taking it in and just getting to hear all the things that he has to say and his knowledge of the gospel and his life experiences,” Wong said.
After his visit to Salt Lake City, Wong told Steve Bartle of KSL Sports that Utah was a place where the “gospel is very important.”
“I had visits around the school and there’s programs at the school that can help you talk to others and build your relationship in Christ. Not only that, Scalley and the coaches that are LDS, who even aren’t LDS, are very good representatives of Christ and they all act a way and they all carry themselves in really good ways,” Wong told the Deseret News.
“Obviously, they’ll have their studies as groups and stuff like that, but I feel like the most important thing is the way that they act and the way they carry themselves and they all carry themselves in good ways and Christ-centered lives.”
As for the football aspect of his visit, Wong really connected with Utah’s culture under Scalley.
“Definitely the family and the culture, being able to see how everybody is connecting and how it’s a little bit different there. It’s a little bit special,” Wong said, “I know I said it multiple times already, but the culture there is a little bit different when it comes to how everybody’s connected and how the coaches view their players and how the players view their coaches and hanging with them definitely showed that a lot.”
Utah’s offensive coaches, including offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven and wide receivers coach Chad Bumphis, went over his potential role in the offense, which would include a little bit of everything.
“Just somebody that could do everything. I could line up as a wideout and make a play deep, take a jet sweep or take a screen to the house. Just moving me everywhere that I can be, being a combo-type guy,” Wong said.
The talented wide receiver will also take visits to UCLA, BYU, Oregon and Ohio State before announcing his choice on June 27.
“Utah is a really great school and they sit really well. Going to take all my (official visits) and I plan to take all my OVs before I commit,” Wong said.