Utah did not make the College Football Playoff cut, but 11 players will get a homecoming as consolation when the Utes takes on the Texas Longhorns in the Alamo Bowl.
Braeden Daniels leads a contingent of Texas high school alums that helped the Utes (11-2) win the Pac 12 South Division title and finish 11th in the final CFP rankings.
Utah and Texas (7-5) meet in the Alamo Bowl at 6:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve inside San Antonio’s Alamodome.
Braeden Daniels, redshirt freshman OL, Carrollton Hebron
Daniels started all 13 games at left guard and is on the FWAA Freshman All-America first-team watch list. He helped pave the way for running back Zach Moss, who rushed for 1,411 yards and 15 touchdowns this season.
Daniels was a first-team all-district selection at Hebron in 2016 and helped it reach the third round of the playoffs.
Bronson Boyd, sophomore DB, Arlington The Oakridge School
Played in all 12 games on special teams, recorded three tackles and had defensive appearances against Idaho State, Oregon State and Colorado.
Boyd transferred to Utah from Texas Tech and transitioned from wide receiver to defensive back in the spring.
Boyd was a first-team Southwest Preparatory Conference All-State selection in 2015 and missed his senior year at The Oakridge School due to a shoulder injury.
Vonte Davis, junior DB, Rosenberg Terry
Davis appeared on special teams in all 13 games and has six defensive appearances, recording 10 tackles.
During his only season at Blinn College in 2017, Davis garnered NJCAA All-America second team honors. Davis helped Terry reach the area playoffs as a senior in 2016, when he earned first-team all-district honors on both offense and defense.
Jaylen Dixon, sophomore WR, Frisco Lone Star
Dixon made three starts in 2019 and played in all 13 games. He has 23 catches for 333 yards and a touchdown to go with 18 rushes for 111 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
He earned all-state honors in 2015 and helped Lone Star finish as the state runner-up. Dixon finished with 1,239 yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior at Lone Star.
Nygel King, junior DB, Tomball Klein Oak
King played in 11 games this season on special teams.
He missed most of his senior year at Tomball Klein Oak with a shoulder injury but helped the team make a run to the 2014 quarterfinals.
Brant Kuithe, redshirt freshman TE, Katy Cinco Ranch
Brant leads the team in receptions (29), yards receiving (550), yards per catch (19) and touchdown receptions (6). He played in all 12 games in 2019, made eight starts and also had five carries for 73 yards and three touchdowns.
At Cinco Ranch, Brant was the 2017 District 19-6A MVP as a senior and was a three-time all-district selection.
Blake Kuithe, redshirt freshman DE, Katy Cinco Ranch
Blake did not play in 2019 due to injury.
Blake was an Associated Press all-state honorable mention as a senior at Cinco Ranch and a three-time all-district selection.
Aaron Lowe, freshman DB, Mesquite West Mesquite
Lowe played in all 11 games on special teams.
He was a 7-5A All-District selection as a senior in 2018.
Drew Rawls, freshman DB, Beaumont West Brook
Rawls played in four games on special teams in 2019 and made defensive appearances against Idaho State and Oregon State.
He was a District 21-6A first-team selection as a senior at West Brook.
Jason Shelley, sophomore QB, Frisco Lone Star
Shelley is the No. 2 quarterback for Utah and played in 10 games, completing 6 of 11 passes for 43 yards and a touchdown to go along with 19 carries for 31 yards and a score. He had a 3-2 record as a starter in 2018.
Shelley was an all-state honorable mention twice at Lone Star and was named District 9-5A MVP in 2015 and District 13-5A MVP in 2016.
Hunter Thedford, senior TE, Comanche
Thedford appeared in 12 games this season and made starts against Arizona State and UCLA. He has two catches for 12 yards on the season after transferring to Utah following three years at SMU.
Thedford was an Associated Press all-state first team selection as a senior.
