There was a lot of fear among Utah coaches and fans going into the 2016 winter/summer because they were losing three very important names to the Utah defense. Gionni Paul, Jason Whittingham and Jared Norris, the entire starting linebacking corps for the Utes were moving on. The three seniors, all who played extremely key roles, and had some of the biggest plays of the season, were graduating from the program. In turn, that left a large hole in the middle of the defense, creating a huge need in recruiting. So to no surprise, linebacker was an emphasis for coaches going into signing day.
Utah Football: 2016 Recruiting Class Filled Linebacker Need
