Auburn transfer Jahki Howard (3) has committed to Utah, according to reports. Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Utah lands commitment from Auburn transfer Jahki Howard

Originally posted on Utah Utes on SI | By Cole Forsman | Last updated Apr 19, 2025 1:32 PM ET

Auburn transfer and former four-star recruit Jahki Howard has committed to Utah, according to On3's Joe Tipton.

The 6-foot-6, 185-pound forward is Alex Jensen's fourth addition via the transfer portal since he was named head coach of the Utes on March 6. With nine players from last season's 16-17 squad in the portal, Jensen and his staff have added 6-foot-4 guard Elijah "Choppa" Moore (Syracuse), 6-foot-8 forward James Okonkwo (Akron) and 6-foot-3 guard Terrence Brown (Fairleigh Dickinson) via the portal this spring.

Howard's decision coincided with his Zoom call with Utah on Friday. He chose the Utes after receiving interest from Illinois, Washington, Ole Miss, NC State and a handful of other schools.

Howard appeared in 21 games for the Tigers last season and logged just 86 minutes for Bruce Pearl during SEC play. He averaged 4.2 points and 1.1 rebounds while shooting 53.6% from the field. Howard also knocked down 40.9% of his attempts from long range, albeit it on 1.0 attempts from 3 per game. Howard appeared in Auburn's Round of 64 win over Alabama State and in the Tigers' triumph over Creighton in the Round of 32, logging 4 total minutes in the NCAA Tournament.

A native of Boston, Howard previously played in the Atlanta-based Overtime Elite league. While suiting up for City Reapers, he put up 15.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steals per game, earning All-OTE second team honors in the process.

Howard was a top-10 recruit in the state of Georgia and ranked No. 93 nationally according to 247Sports. Considered one of the most explosive players in the class of 2024, Howard has the physical tools to leave an impact on both ends of the floor, whether it's flying in for an alley-oop or guarding multiple positions in one possession.