This Utah native — a four-star football recruit who is a BYU and Utah target — has shot up ESPN’s recruiting rankings

Salesi Moa is a name to know in the college football recruiting Class of 2026.

The Weber High athlete has been busy on the camp circuit this offseason, and it’s paying off for the Utah native. Last week, ESPN updated its list of the Top 300 recruits in the Class of 2026 and highlighted Moa as one of the top risers.

In the long run, that could end up being a recruiting coup for either BYU or Utah, as both schools have offered the junior-to-be two-way player who caught 57 passes for 823 yards and 11 touchdowns last season while adding 30 tackles and an interception on defense.

Where is Salesi Moa ranked in the 2026 recruiting ranks?

Moa, who plays both wide receiver and safety for Weber, now ranks No. 53 nationally in ESPN’s rankings of the 2026 class as a four-star prospect.

ESPN’s Craig Haubert and Tom Luginbill explained why Moa rose in the latest update of their rankings.

“Moa rises in the rankings on the strength of his versatility, speed and playmaking. He’s lean at 175 pounds and needs to further fill out his frame, but he has good length and showed he’s a competitor willing to embrace challenges,” Haubert and Luginbill wrote.

“Moa’s most natural fit at this stage seems to be receiver. He’s an explosive player with good hands and over 100 catches in his high school career. Moa’s length and quickness offer great value as a defensive back prospect, although he seems to prefer offense. He stood out in both roles on the camp circuit this offseason.”

Moa is highly rated by several national recruiting services: 247 Sports has him rated as the No. 37 prospect in the 2026 class, while On3 has him even higher, at No. 29 in the country.

Rivals is the only national recruiting service that doesn’t currently have Moa as a four-star athlete — he’s rated a three-star in their rankings — and that pushes his 247 Sports composite ranking down to No. 125 nationally, with a 0.9449 player rating.

Who is recruiting Salesi Moa?

Two in-state schools, BYU and Utah, are among the teams already pushing hard for Moa’s services, and he has family ties at both programs.

Two of his brothers, linebackers Sione Moa and Aisea Moa, are currently on the BYU roster, while their father, Ben Moa, was once a standout tight end at Utah.

“Moa is uncommitted but keep an eye on in-state Utah (where his father played) and BYU (where his two brothers currently play). He’s a two-way prospect with a laser-timed 4.55-second 40 and a 34-inch vertical. Other national programs such as Washington and Oregon will also be in the mix,” Haubert and Luginbill noted.

Salesi Moa recently told 247 Sports’ Brandon Huffman that he’s “open to going anywhere but I’m actually trying to get out of Utah for college,” not a positive sign for the local schools who are competing with the aforementioned Ducks and Huskies, along with Arizona, so far for Moa’s services.

Moa also said UCLA, Stanford and Wisconsin could be the next schools to offer.

“In college, I’m going to try and play both ways, but whatever my coach wants me to play, I’ll play,” Moa told Huffman. “I probably like receiver a little more than safety, but I like both of them.”