The #4 Junior Athlete In Utah: Tytan DeJong

Tytan DeJong is a 3 Star recruit who is an Athlete at Mountain Ridge High School. DeJong is ranked as the 602nd best recruit in the class of 2027 and is ranked as a top 60 Athlete in the class as well. In addition, DeJong is listed as a top 20 recruit in the state of Utah and is listed as the #4 Athlete in the state of Utah. He holds offers from schools such as Utah, Boise State and Utah State.

Who are some role models in your life?
Role models of mine would be Ray Lewis—I loved his mentality and the way he played football. He was always at 110%. My father is also a role model; he played college ball and has taught me everything I know.

What artists do you listen to pregame, to get you hyped up?
Before warmups, I listen to Eminem and Three Days Grace. It’s loud and gets me pumped up. But when we go back into the locker room right before heading out to the field for game time, I listen to Bob Marley to calm myself down and focus on what I need to get done.

What are the strengths of your game?
My strengths are my speed and size, but the most important one to me is my mentality. I not only fly to the ball and make plays, but I do it at 110% every single play. Whoever is on the other side of the ball won’t get a break.

What is your favorite memory of your career?
My favorite memory of my career was scoring my first touchdown in a varsity game. The crowd was screaming and yelling—you don’t get that feeling anywhere else.

Who is the best player you have ever played with or played against in your career?
The best player I’ve ever played against would be Bott Muitalo from Lone Peak High School.

What is some advice you would give to an aspiring D1 athlete?
Some advice I’d give to an aspiring D1 athlete is this: “If you want to be an elite college player, it’s a choice. Putting in the extra work is a choice. Giving it 110% is a choice. Waking up early to work out and not sleeping in—that’s a choice. There are no shortcuts to success. You have to choose to be great.”

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?
If I could travel anywhere, it would be Holland. That’s where my family is from, and it would be a great opportunity to learn about where I came from.

How old were you when you fell in love with the game?
I started playing football when I was 8 years old, but I loved it since I was 5—just watching my older brother play. From that moment on, I was hooked.

If you could meet one sports hero, who would it be?
If I could meet any sports hero, I would choose Kobe Bryant. His work ethic was unmatched—better than anyone else by far.

What is your favorite sports moment, as a fan?
Growing up, I was a Utah Utes fan. My favorite moment as a fan was when Utah beat BYU by one point, 20–19, in 2016.