Utah picked up a key win on Wednesday for a blue-chip running back on the Plains.

Wichita (Kan.) Heights running back John Randle II announced his commitment to Utah on social media. A 4-star prospect and a top-25 running back in the class, Randle chose the Utes over the likes of Kansas State, Penn State, and Tennessee. He held nearly 30 offers.

Randle visited for the USC game on Oct. 15. That game clearly left an impression, and it was the only official visit he has taken this cycle.

The 6-foot, 185-pound running back ranks as the 26th back in the class, according to the industry-generated 247 Composite. He’s the fourth-ranked recruit from the state of Kansas and ranked 373rd overall in the 2023 class. The folks at 247Sports are a little higher on him than consensus, ranking Randle as the 23rd-best back in the Top247.

In picking Utah, Randle is breaking from family tradition a bit. John Randle Sr. was a tailback for the Kansas Jayhawks in the early 2000s. His uncle, Joseph Randle, also played in the Big 12 as a running back at Oklahoma State. Joseph Randle was a two-time first-team All-Big 12 selection and went on to play in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys.

Randle posted three consecutive 1,000-yard rushing campaigns for Heights, rumbling for a career-best 1,227 yards and 15 touchdowns on 10.4 yards per carry. During his four-year varsity career, Randle had 4,039 rushing yards (10 YPC) and 49 rushing touchdowns. He had 23 different 100-yard rushing performances. Randle also won the Kansas 6A state triple jump championship as a junior with a 49-3.5 in May of 2022.

His verbal pledge gives Utah 21 commits for the 2023 class, a group that ranks 20th nationally in the Composite Rankings. You can see his highlight tape below, via Hudl: