Gordon Monson: A ranking of the 31 most important, most prominent athletes in the state of Utah

There are many stellar athletes in or connected to the state of Utah. What follows here is this year’s version of a ranking of the 30, plus one, most prominent of them. The fact that I did not use the words “best” or “most accomplished” is intentional. Last year’s list featured the word “important.” In truth, when it comes to humans, I don’t even know how to define or apply “important” or “prominent,” not with any exactness, and that’s the beauty of it, infusing ambiguity, having side-door exits out of so much fog.

Which is to say, this whole endeavor is subjective, based on an unscientific survey, a mix of opinions gleaned from various unnamed sports observers around here stirred with my own. If you disagree with the ranking, there’s only one reasonable thing to do, the same thing I’ll do — blame them.

Here it is, then — see if you agree or disagree — in inverse order, the top 31:

31. Brock Harris.

We start this list with four high school football and basketball athletes who haven’t taken a shot or played a down or proved a thing at the college level, but all four are considered a big part of their individual college program’s future. Harris, a tight end from St. George, now on a Latter-day Saints mission, is considered one of the nation’s top TE prospects. BYU is loaded up at that position, but when Harris is done preaching the good word, we’ll see how and how quickly he fits in.

30. Kelvin Obot.

One of Utah’s all-time highest-rated recruits, the offensive tackle from Fruitland, Idaho, is bound to make an impact at a school where finding and grooming great blockers appears to be a habit. Not many programs can celebrate two O-linemen — each, for some inexplicable reason, left off this list, Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu — getting selected in the first round of the NFL draft in the same year, as was the case for Utah in 2026. Obot steps in. Obot also won state prep track-and-field titles in the shot put and the discus. Young fella’s going to be good. Learn his name now.

29. Bruce Branch III.

Branch won’t turn 18 until late October, when he’ll be practicing as a freshman for BYU basketball. He was once projected as the No. 1 recruit in the 2027 class, but when he hurried up the process, reclassifying to 2026, he dropped to the No. 8 slot, whatever that really means. Many of the top basketball schools wanted Branch. BYU got him. The Arizona native is a smooth-shooting small forward with elite guard skills and is guaranteed to continue having NBA scouts hanging around him, checking him out through his initial college season.

28. Ryder Lyons.

One of California’s and — depending on who you believe — the country’s top prep quarterbacks. According to the kid himself, you can believe him: “I have a lot of confidence in myself and do believe I’m the best quarterback in the country.”

Is that all?

Well. That’s what Lyons told Sports Illustrated a year ago, before he ever committed to play at BYU. He also said, “I definitely want to play early.”

Not sure how that will work out in Provo, what with Bear Bachmeier already having established himself heading into his second year as BYU’s guy. With Lyons on a church mission for a year or two, it will be interesting to see how long Bachmeier runs and rules that shop and how patient Lyons will be when he returns, whenever that might be. Will he stay with the Cougars or will he transfer with hundred-dollar bills hanging out of his pockets after returning from his mission? He seems committed to BYU, but only he knows for sure.

27. Connor Mantz.

The accomplished distance runner from Cache Valley has long been one of America’s best. After winning national championships in cross country at BYU, he’s gone on to set records for half-marathoners and marathoners from the United States, although he’s never dominated world competition. He finished eighth in the marathon at the Paris Summer Games in 2024 and was the top American runner there.

26. Avery Neff.

The Ute gymnast, a native of Utah, finished seventh overall in the all-around event at the NCAA gymnastics championships a few weeks ago, and was named a regional gymnast of the year.

25. Byrd Ficklin.

The Utah quarterback isn’t even a starter, but what he has shown in his appearances for the Utes screams, “Hey, look at me, I’m gonna be a force. I am a force.” The coming football season will indicate not only how, but how much Ficklin will be used in tandem with Ute starter Devon Dampier.

24. Rob Wright III.

The college basketball player who bounced from Baylor after one season to BYU for another, then was ready to bounce again to some other school, as it turned out, ricocheted back to Provo, claiming that’s where he wanted to be all along. It’s complicated being a college athlete these days, but lucrative, too. Now, as Wright enters the make-making vortex, everyone will see if the drive-and-shoot-first point guard can make the rest of his Cougar teammates better than they’d be otherwise, as he’s making millions for himself.

23. Rafa Cabral.

The 35-year-old guardian of the goal has played every minute of every game since signing with Real Salt Lake in 2025. He’s not only RSL’s iron man, he’s also the team’s captain. He’s played for some of the biggest clubs in South America, and in Italy and England, too, bringing along with him a positive culture to Real, one that has bled through the team. He’s one of the best keepers in Major League Soccer.

22. Delaney Gibb.

The BYU guard’s field-goal percentage this past season dropped from 45.3 to 38.7, which was lower than her 3-point percentage the season before, but her scoring average ascended from 17.4 to 18.3. She also averaged 4.6 assists and 5.1 boards. Gibb is the face of BYU women’s basketball. A postgame video of her explaining why the Cougars don’t practice or play on Sundays exploded on social media, being seen by millions of viewers.

21, 20, 19. Faletau Satuala and Isaiah Glasker and Cade Uluave. (Tie)

Two linebackers and a safety, these are three of the Big 12’s best defenders. Satuala led the Cougars in tackles (84) last season, making some of the defense’s biggest plays. Glasker, a versatile athlete, was third in tackles with 67. Uluave, a Cal transfer who starred at Berkeley and returned to his home state to finish his college run, topped both of them for the Bears, racking up 100 tackles. He was named first-team all-ACC last season. All Three Amigos have NFL talent.

18. Wayshawn Parker.

The Utah running back totaled 1,166 yards last season, averaging seven yards per rush. He also caught 13 passes for 185 yards. All told, he scored nine touchdowns. There’s little reason to believe he won’t be even more productive this coming season as a junior. Wayshawn has three siblings, named … Wadus, Waynesha and Waylon. The family’s all about the W’s.

17. Evan Johnson.

One of the best cornerbacks ever at BYU led the Cougars — and the Big 12 (tied) — with five interceptions in 2025. Kalani Sitake calls him, “One of the most gifted players we’ve seen.” One of the fastest, too. His nickname is “Schmev,” which sounds like the cream cheese spread on a bagel, but the man can cover wide-outs about as well as any corner in the Big 12, yeah, like Philly cream cheese on a bun, which is fitting since his dad, Ron, played in the NFL, as a receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles.

16. Lindsey Vonn.

Vonn is over the hill or down it now, having infamously punctuated the most recent — and last? — chapter of her famous skiing career with a wicked crash in the recently completed Winter Games in Italy. That hardly diminished her status as one of the greatest alpine skiers of all time. She’s won more World Cup races than anyone not named Mikaela Shiffrin or Ingemar Stenmark. Regardless of whether or not she’s finished, the Park City resident remains the definition of the word prominent in her sport. She has 3.7 million followers on Instagram and a million more on other social media platforms, captivating followers on the ins and outs of her life, in and out of sports.

15. Clayton Keller.

The captain of the Utah Mammoth and thereby one of the club’s leaders, is a forward who played on the gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic hockey team, although he didn’t play a whole lot. He still got a medal in one of the Winter Olympics’ biggest sports.

14. Ace Bailey.

There were times during his rookie season with the Jazz when Bailey seemed a bit baffled, unable to perform at a consistent clip at both ends of the floor. All of which is called being a typical youngster playing ball and adjusting to life in the NBA. But there also were times, particularly in March and April, when he looked as though he really could be a star, could be an explosive scorer and even a decent defender. In total, he averaged 13.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists. Sit back and watch. The kid will better those numbers by a considerable margin in the seasons ahead. Patience will pay off in a major way with Bailey. At season’s end, he was asked to wrap up his initial pro year in five words. He said: “Learning. Good. Great. Awesome. Fantastic.”

13, 12. Keyonte George and Walker Kessler. (Tie)

One plays defense, the other doesn’t. One will be a prime Jazz scoring option, the other will fill space and clean up messes. One rocketed onto a freeway onramp in 2025-26, at least when he was available, the other got injured and wasn’t available. Both will need to be big contributors to Jazz success in the coming season, if, that is, Kessler happily sticks around. This past year, George hit new heights — 23.6 points. 6.1 assists — on a team that didn’t want to win, a team that didn’t use its other assets in the way it can and should use them. If George continues his upward climb in unison with the Jazz as a whole, he will shine. It’d be nice if he D’ed up a bit more. Kessler will be needed to anchor the Jazz resistance, along with another Jazzman on this list.

11, 10. Dylan Guenther and Logan Cooley. (Tie)

Guenther and Cooley are the Butch and Sundance — as well as the future and the present — of the Mammoth, a 23-year-old and 21-year-old who have developed skating speed and some of the quickest and smoothest releases in all of hockey, blasting and shaping shots that are so much of a blur, so crafty that even seasoned NHL goaltenders find them challenging to see, let alone stop. If the Mammoth rise from Stanley Cup playoff makers to Stanley Cup playoff contenders, Guenther and Cooley will play major roles.

9. LJ Martin.

Where BYU football would have ended up in the 2025 season without a running back like Martin, who led the Big 12 in rushing yards gained, is anyone’s guess. This much is sure — it wouldn’t have been at 12-2, treading on the edge of a college football playoff invitation. Martin carried the ball and much of the offensive load for the Cougars, dancing and plowing for important yards when they were needed. All told, he gained 1,305 yards in 2025, despite a shoulder injury that may have hurt and hampered him, but he powered and plowed on. After surgery, he returns for his senior season, threatening to break BYU’s all-time rushing record.

8. Jaren Jackson Jr.

When the Jazz traded for Jackson, it was the flare blown into the sky that the team is ready to compete again. All it had to do was stumble enough through the remainder of the 2025-26 season to preserve and gain an advantageous first-round draft pick, and from there the Jazz will be ready to hit the throttle. And the newly-acquired forward will play a huge role in whatever it is they are to become. Already a proven defender, he also has shown his ability as a scorer, having averaged nearly 20 points this past season before the Jazz shut him down to get his knee repaired and ready to go.

7. Jane Hedengren.

If she were competing in a higher-profile sport, Hedengren might jump even higher on this list, and she’s still a teenager. In her senior year of high school, she broke nine national prep records. The BYU freshman distance runner already has broken three NCAA records, setting marks that not so long ago seemed unreachable for a collegian. Yet, here she is, reaching them. She holds college records in both the women’s indoor and outdoor 5000-meter races. Her indoor time of 14:44.79 is the second-fastest ever run by an American woman. Her outdoor record came in her first college outdoor 5000m event. She also set a college record in the 10,000m. Many folks believe, because of her young age, she’s just beginning her ascent. Female distance runners typically hit their prime between the ages of 27 and 32.

Before she entered BYU, Hedengren told one publication: “I’ve been really careful about thinking too far ahead. People will ask me about aspirations like medaling in the Olympics or finding a prominence on the world stage. Those goals are incredible, obviously, and I’m working toward them, but the truth is, I don’t know where I’ll be in a few years. What I can focus on right now is keeping myself healthy, enjoying the sport and loving those around me. I’m taking things one step at a time.”

6. Zavier Gozo.

Born and raised in Utah, he talks a lot about his LDS faith, which he believes got him through a gruesome, broken leg when he was 16. He lives at home, his mom cooks him dinner every night. He wants to play for a big club in Europe. And in all likelihood, he will. He was born in West Valley City, grew up in Eagle Mountain. Gozo just turned 19. On account of his age and athleticism, he’s even a more lucrative asset than stellar teammate Diego Luna. RSL could probably sell him to a European team for $20 million. He’s a world-class athlete, now adding skills to compete against top professionals. His star is rising with a bullet. He’s had an incendiary start to the MLS season.

5. Devon Dampier.

Those who wonder just how good the Utah quarterback can be, how good he is, should review his performance in the Vegas Bowl against Nebraska. In that game, Dampier threw two touchdown passes and ran for three more scores, throwing for 310 yards and running for 148. His command of the Ute offense was impressive, leading the Utes to a 44-22 crushing of the Cornhuskers.

4. Bear Bachmeier.

He’s not a pro. He doesn’t play at his sport’s highest level. He’s just entering his sophomore football season, but his freshman year was a rocket to ride. When an athlete shows that kind of promise as the BYU quarterback, in this state, he almost automatically has the words prominent and important tattooed on his soul. Nobody’s sure what the ceiling is for Bachmeier, how high he can fly or far he can run, but, as of right now, he ranks high on this list.

3. Diego Luna.

He’s been featured in spots for Nike and U.S. soccer, among the biggest stars RSL has ever had. His value falls short of Gozo’s, but he’s mastered many technical aspects of the beautiful game and he’s relentless, a magician with the ball. He’s crafty, good in tight spaces, a smart player. He plays through broken noses and other forms of adversity. Luna, no doubt, is one of the top names in Major League Soccer.

2. Lauri Markkanen.

Judging Markkanen’s specific worth to the Utah Jazz over these seasons of the team’s discontent has been an inexact measure, but one that is about to get stretched in a big way now as the Jazz actually try to win. Not only will Markkanen be counted on to reach the upper limits of his ability to score and rebound and defend, he’ll also lead the team as its best player, a player positioned to do more than he ever has.

1. AJ Dybantsa.

No telling where the ballyhooed one-and-done freshman from BYU will end up in the NBA, but odds are heavy that he’ll go to the team with the first pick. The only other player to reach that status from these parts was Utah’s Andrew Bogut. Either way, Dybantsa is bound to be a star, a better pro than he was a college player, and he averaged 25 points a game at BYU, leading all scorers in college ball. Although he played just a single season at BYU, he says he’ll remain a student online or otherwise there until he graduates, fulfilling the wishes of his mother. Every good son and daughter, every parent, can appreciate that.