Jackson Bennee walked on at Utah out of Olympus High School with modest recruiting interest. Three years later, the Holladay native is one of the best safeties in college football.

CBS Sports analyst Blake Brockermeyer ranked Utah's defensive secondary No. 7 nationally on Monday, Aug. 10, placing the Utes among just two Big 12 programs on his top-10 list. Bennee, a junior wearing No. 23, is the headliner.

"Bennee has excellent hands and plays with a ballhawk mentality," Brockermeyer wrote. "He impacts every phase of the defense and is one of my favorite safeties in the entire country."

The numbers back it up.

Bennee recorded four interceptions in 2025, tied for fourth in the Big 12, with 103 return yards that ranked second in the conference. He started 11 of 13 games, finished second on the team with 64 tackles (4.0 tackles for loss) and earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention.

He did more than defend passes. Bennee was one of just 15 FBS players last season with multiple blocked kicks, getting a hand on a field goal against Arizona State and batting down a punt against Colorado. He also lined up on offense for three starts, catching three passes for 18 yards and rushing twice for 15.

That versatility earned him a spot on the Paul Hornung Award Watch List, which the University of Utah announced Monday. The award goes annually to the most versatile player in major college football, with the winner named Dec. 10 on ESPN.

Bennee joins a deep secondary that includes senior safety Rabbit Evans, cornerback Scooby Davis (who returned both of his interceptions for touchdowns last season) and projected nickel back Rock Caldwell, according to the Deseret News. Junior safety Nate Ritchie returns from a season-ending injury, and transfers Elijah Reed (Akron), James Chenault (South Florida) and Nick Brown (Lamar) will compete for a starting corner spot.

Utah finished 11-2 in 2025, winning the Las Vegas Bowl and finishing ranked No. 14 nationally while going 7-2 in the Big 12. New head coach Morgan Scalley, the program's longtime defensive coordinator, takes over in 2026.

The Utes open the season Thursday, Sept. 3 at Rice-Eccles Stadium against Idaho at 7 p.m. The home slate also features Arkansas on Sept. 12, Utah State on Sept. 19 and rival BYU on Nov. 7.