⚡ CFB Dashboard

Utah football wrapped up their 2026 spring camp just a few weeks ago. And while there is still a lot of work that needs to be done before the season can kick off on September 3, there were a few players that caught our eye during the viewing period, and we are putting them on breakout watch for the 2026 season. Here are five defensive players who could break out in a big way this fall: LB CYRUS POLU The sophomore linebacker was one of the most talked-about defensive players during the spring practice window. During our media viewing sessions, it was easy to tell why. Polu was flying around the field, making several high-level plays. Utah loves to go at least four deep at linebacker and sometimes even has three plays per game, depending on the opposing personnel. It's not a bold take to say that Polu is very firmly LB3, but it is a bold take to say he could push someone like Trey Reynolds for more playing time in 2026. CB ROCK CALDWELL Despite being brought in to play cornerback, Caldwell spent a good amount of time last season playing safety due to the number of injuries that ravaged that room. Caldwell has moved back to the corner for 2026 and is deep in the mix for a starting job. At 6'3" and 190 pounds, people would most likely expect to see Caldwell on the outside, but during the spring, he thrived in the nickel. It's not every day that someone of that size and length is in charge of the slot, but Caldwell did a great job with that role this spring. There were moments where his length and nose for the ball led to some important pass breakups during media viewing. If he does earn the starting job, it makes the losses at nickel feel less impactful than they seemed to be. DT JIREH MOE Moe might not have the typical height of a defensive tackle, but coming out of spring ball, he was labeled by the offensive line as one of the hardest players to block. Moe had one of the highest win rates in all of college football last season, yet he was one of the most underrated guys nationally. Unlike others on this list, Moe has a sizeable amount of stats to his name already, 28 tackles, two TFLs, and one 1.5 sacks. But if he can increase that number this season, he will be a game changer for the Utes. Moe (along with the rest of the tackle room) did do some really good and encouraging things this spring. S NATE TILMON Utah isn't looking for starters at safety, but Tilmon will most likely play in some capacity this season. Just like the other sophomores on this list, Tilmon saw time last year. While none of it was starting time, they were live game reps versus other power opponents. During spring ball, Tilmon showed a strong grasp of the defense as he enters his second season. If Tilmon can make the most of his opportunities this season, he would be in a prime position to become the starter for the 2027 season. DE KASH DILLON The third-year defensive end is going to be asked to step up both on and off the field this season. Dillon has played sparingly over the last two seasons, but last year was when the light started to turn on for the hometown hero. Dillon played in all 13 games and started in three, and accounted for 35 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, and 3.5 sacks. He spent the offseason getting his body right and now is in a prime position to hit the campaign trail to become the next mayor of Sack Lake City. It's going to be a heated race between him, Lance Holtzclaw, and Ethan Day, but that competition is just going to make guys hungrier. All three looked impressive during spring, but Dillon has a very impressive bag of tricks that should help the team this year.