Washington Linebacker Transfer Josh Calvert Commits to Utah Football
The University of Utah runs onto the field during an NCAA football game vs. the Brigham Young University Cougars at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018. (Photo by Kiffer Creveling | The Daily Utah Chronicle)
May 20, 2021
The University of Utah football program continues to take full advantage of the transfer portal as they add former Washington linebacker Josh Calvert just hours after the addition of Theo Howard. Calvert announced his commitment via Twitter.
Josh Calvert is the older brother of new freshman recruit Ethan Calvert who will now join the program this fall along with his brother. While Josh wasn’t as highly recruited out of high school as Ethan, he was still ranked a four-star recruit by 247Sports, drawing the attention of several top-tier programs such as Florida, Michigan State, UCLA and Utah. However, Calvert would commit to Washington where he has spent the last two seasons.
Despite being one of the top defensive prospects in his class and ready to contribute from the moment he stepped foot in Seattle, Calvert suffered an ACL-tear which effectively sidelined him for the entirety of his career at Washington. While he was technically rostered for the 2019 and 2020 seasons, that injury kept him off the field and unable to contribute. Now, with his younger brother Ethan committing to Utah earlier this year and Josh entering the transfer portal himself, it was only a matter of time before he committed to the program and joined his brother.
Similar to his younger brother, Josh brings a high level of physicality on the defensive side of the ball. Standing 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds, Josh is a ferocious defender, highly skilled at shedding blockers and stuffing the run before it can develop. He also has shown improvements in covering the aerial attack as he’s acclimated to the collegiate level despite his injuries.
Calvert joins an already highly talented linebacker group with notable veterans such as Devin Lloyd and Nephi Sewell. However, Calvert will be a welcomed addition as he’s spent time in a highly respected Washington program and will improve the depth of the reloaded Utah roster. If he can remain healthy, Utah’s defense will be impenetrable with the Calvert brothers locking down opposing offenses.
