Utah Utes defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley had his unit ranked in the top-10 in the country in opposing quarterback rating and completion percentage last season. Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

Projecting Utah football's defensive starters

Originally posted on Utah Utes on SI | By Cole Forsman | Last updated Aug 19, 2025 7:03 PM ET

Morgan Scalley's defense came to the rescue for Utah once again last season.

The Utes stifled their opponents despite receiving little help from their offense, as they ranked among the top 10 units in the country in opposing quarterback completion percentage and quarterback rating while allowing just 20.7 points per game in 2024. They were efficient on third down as well, yielding a paltry 27% conversion rate to their opponents, yet struggled to a 5-7 finish while dropping seven of their final eight games in Big 12 play.

Utah brought back several key pieces on defense for the 2025 campaign, though Scalley and company weren't excluded from having to add new faces to fill in some holes left behind by a few departing players. The defensive line in particular lost five of its top six rotational players, including Van Fillinger, Connor O’Toole and nose tackles Junior Tafuna and Keanu Tanuvasa. The secondary remained intact for the most part, but still needed some sorting out during fall camp, with a couple of new names added to the mix via the transfer portal.

With less than two weeks to go until Utah's season opener against UCLA (and without much of an official depth chart to go off), we've decided to take a look at the projected starters for the Utes' defensive unit in 2025.

Projected starters

* = named captain

DE: John Henry Daly (R-SO)
2024 stats with Utah (seven games): four total tackles (one tackle for loss, 1.0 sack)

DE: Logan Fano (R-JR)*
2024 stats with Utah (12 games): 35 total tackles (seven for loss, 2.5 sacks); one pass defended, one fumble recovery

DT: Dallas Vakalahi (SO)
2024 stats with Utah (nine games): 16 total tackles (three for loss, 2.0 sacks)

DT: Aliki Vimahi (5th-yr)
2024 stats with Utah (four games): seven total tackl es (two for loss); two passes defended

LB: Jonathan Hall (JR)
2024 stats with Utah (12 games): 38 total tackles (nine for loss, 1.0 sack); four passes defended (one interception, three pass break-ups)

LB: Lander Barton (SR)*
2024 stats with Utah (12 games): team-best 72 total tackles (five for loss); six passes defended (two interceptions, four pass break-ups); named to Butkus Award watch list

NB: Smith Snowden (JR)
2024 stats with Utah (12 games): 48 total tackles (four for loss); 10 passes defended (two interceptions, eight pass break-ups); seven kick returns, 187 yards (26.7 average); named to watch lists for Paul Hornung Award and Chuck Bednarik Award

CB: Elijah "Scooby" Davis (R-JR)
2024 stats with Utah (12 games): 29 total tackles (one for loss); two interceptions

CB: Blake Cotton (SR)
2024 stats with UC Davis (13 games): 25 total tackles; two pass break-ups

SS: Rabbit Evans (SR)
2024 stats with Utah (11 games): 34 total tackles (two for loss); one pass break-up

FS: Tao Johnson (R-JR)
2024 stats with Utah (12 games): 70 total tackles (two for loss); five passes defended (one interception, four pass break-ups); forced one fumble