BYU Faces Extreme Competition For Top Recruit

As Indiana contends with formidable rivals for 5-star recruit AJ Williams after his reclassification, Coach Darian DeVries is accelerating efforts to secure top talent for the future.

Indiana’s pursuit of AJ Williams just got a lot more urgent.

The 5-star small forward, a 6-foot-7, 200-pound prospect from Stockbridge, Georgia, has reclassified from the 2028 class into 2027, according to multiple reports. That move instantly speeds up the timeline on one of the Hoosiers’ biggest early recruiting targets.

Williams entered Tuesday as the No. 1 overall player in 2028. After the reclassification, he’s no longer the top name in his new class, but he remains a Top-5 prospect in 2027, according to 247Sports. That kind of status usually comes with some ranking slide after a reclass, but Williams has held his place near the top.

Indiana has been involved for a while. The Hoosiers were among the first Power 4 programs to offer him, doing so in July of last year. He was also one of the first players to receive an offer from Darian DeVries after DeVries took over the program in March 2025.

Now the challenge is keeping pace with the rest of the field.

Williams already holds more than 25 offers, with Duke, North Carolina, Auburn, BYU, Kansas, Georgia, and Arkansas among the schools in the mix. Georgia is one to watch because Williams is a native of the state, while Duke has also emerged as a major contender, according to several reports.

For Indiana, this has the feel of an uphill battle. Williams is the kind of elite talent that draws heavyweight attention quickly, and his reclassification only intensifies the competition.

Official visits are expected to start taking shape in the fall. Indiana will be hoping Bloomington is on that list.

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The roster shuffle also came with some departures and status changes, the kind that can alter how a camp opens even before the first real practice rep is logged. Several players were removed or retired, while others will be accounted for later after stepping away from the program for outside obligations. For a staff trying to sort out roles quickly, those changes matter, because every update to the roster is really an update to the competition. [Read more 🡒]

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LJ Martin also saw a group that seems to know exactly what it is chasing, even as the offense adjusts to life without some key receivers. The running back said there is motivation inside the room and room for the attack to take another step, giving BYU a positive base to build on as it moves deeper into camp and starts sorting out how all the pieces fit. [Read more 🡒]

BYU Left Tackle Battle Just Got More Interesting This Spring

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The spring competition has only gotten more intriguing as Finau settles in and starts drawing positive feedback from coaches and teammates. BYU knew it was adding a player with experience, but the bigger question now is how quickly he can translate that trust into a real edge in a crowded battle for the spot. The Cougars have options there, and Finau's presence has made the fight for the job one worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]