Utah likes Hekking at athlete

Chad Hekking is a quarterback and punter at Vacaville, Calif., but the three-star is being recruited for another position at Utah and he's definitely interested in it.

The Utes were the first to offer the 6-foot-4, 218-pound prospect to come in as an athlete - probably to play tight end - and after camping there this summer it's a position switch he's considering.

"I was invited up for the second time to their elite prospect camp at Utah where they recruited me as an athlete," Hekking said. "I went up there and ran routes and I also went on an unofficial visit up there.

"We continued to stay in contact. They went into a coach meeting and they had multiple coaches who wanted me to play for them so they said I was a heck of an athlete so they wanted to offer me."

Hekking, who is also hearing from Washington State, San Jose State, Oregon State, Fresno State and others, said he likes the possibility of switching positions and since Utah wants to bring him in as an athlete he could help in a variety of ways.

"In their offense, the tight end is kind of like an inside receiver, wing-back, so it's not a hand-in-the-dirt tight end," Hekking said. "It's more of a route-running tight end. That's where they like me. They said I could also come up and punt. It's just where I fit in their system."

Utah is Hekking's only offer so far but the Vacaville standout is not rushing a decision. Since the Utes are not pressuring him to commit, Hekking said he wants to take his time and see what else happens in his recruitment.

Still, the Utes are definitely in good shape.

"As of right now I'm not in the position where they're forcing me to commit since I'm going in as an athlete," Hekking said. "I can fill so many different needs. I'm keeping my options open. I grew up liking BYU but I turned to liking Utah, it's one of my favorite schools, and a school of interest right now."