It’s become a familiar BYU storyline: a true freshman shows up, beats the odds, and forces his way into the conversation. Bear Bachmeier and Nusi Taumoepeau did it in 2025.
Faletau Satuala did it in 2024. LJ Martin did it in 2023.
So who could be next?
BYU has a few freshmen who look capable of making that kind of jump, and the clearest path starts at wide receiver. There are as many as three or four spots available there, and the Cougars need help replacing the three wideouts who logged the most snaps last season: Chase Roberts, Parker Kingston, and Cody Hagen. That kind of opening gives a player like former four-star recruit Jaron Pula a real shot.
Pula, in the opinion of this author, is one of the most physically gifted wide receivers to come out of Utah over the last several recruiting classes. At 6'3 and 200 pounds, he already looks the part.
He’s smooth, he catches the ball with strong hands, and he can win contested throws. He didn’t get many team reps during Spring Camp, though, so he’ll enter Fall Camp on the outside looking in.
Even so, the talent is there for him to climb the depth chart and see the field in 2026.
Another freshman who turned heads in spring was Braxton Lindsey. Defensive coordinator Kelly Poppinga was impressed, and Lindsey is part of a crowded defensive end group that also includes Nusi Taumoepeau and Tausili Akana.
Still, the expectation is that he’ll play. The previous defensive staff often eased freshmen in with limited snaps early before expanding their roles as the season went on, and Lindsey could follow that same path.
By the end of the year, he may simply be too good to keep off the field. He also has college-ready size at 6'3 and 235 pounds.
The offensive line is a different story for Bott Mulitalo. Barring injuries at tackle, there isn’t an obvious route to immediate playing time.
Going into Fall Camp, Paki Finau is expected to start at left tackle and Andrew Gentry at right tackle. If the season began today, Mulitalo would project as the backup right tackle.
But football doesn’t often leave both tackles untouched for long, and if he gets on the field, he could be hard to remove. Mulitalo is one of the best athletes on the BYU roster, even if he’s still learning the position.
He spent his life as a defensive tackle before switching to offensive tackle for his senior year of high school.
Ulavai Fetuli is the only redshirt freshman on the list, and he’s already up to 285 pounds after being listed at 240 in high school. He’s also in a deep defensive tackle room that includes three redshirt seniors: Keanu Tanuvasa, Justin Kirkland, and Anisi Purcell.
That means BYU will need to find snaps somewhere for the younger players behind them, and Fetuli fits that need. He has stood out in camp settings, and he already appeared in three games as a true freshman.
Looking ahead, he could be one of BYU’s starting defensive tackles in 2027.
Then there’s Legend Glasker, who was the most impressive freshman in Spring Camp. He made plays every time the media was around, whether that meant getting behind the defense, beating defensive backs with route running, or hauling in difficult catches along the sideline.
He kept showing up. Glasker, who signed with BYU in December and enrolled early, also connected on a perfectly thrown deep shot from Treyson Bourguet.
At 175 pounds during Spring Camp, his size could be an issue against older, more physical cornerbacks. But he has enough speed to cover for some of that right now.
If the question is which freshman is most likely to crack the rotation in 2026, Glasker is the pick. BYU needs a receiver who can stretch the field vertically, and he looks like the one who can do it.
In Other News...
BYU Suddenly Has A Major Defensive Question Before Camp
As the Big 12 wrapped up its annual media days and preseason buzz turned toward the 2026 college football season, BYU found itself dealing with a reminder that summer storylines can change fast. The Cougars were already looking ahead to a defense that was supposed to lean on Faletau Satuala after Tanner Walls departure for the NFL, making the safety one of the more important pieces on the roster heading into camp.
Satualas presence matters because BYU is trying to build on a 12-2 season and keep the momentum from one of the programs best recent runs. Any uncertainty at a spot that was expected to anchor the back end of the defense adds a little more intrigue to August, especially with camp approaching and the Cougars still sorting out how their new-look defense will come together. [Read more 🡒]
AJ Dybantsa Faces A Familiar Problem On His Biggest Stage Yet
The NBA Summer League is about to put a familiar matchup back in the spotlight, with Washington and Utah set for a primetime meeting that will also serve as AJ Dybantsas debut for the Wizards after he went first overall in the 2026 NBA Draft. On the other side, Darryn Peterson has already looked comfortable in summer action for the Jazz, giving the game a little extra edge for anyone who has followed the two young stars from the start.
Peterson has had the upper hand every time these two have crossed paths before, a detail that hangs over this one even without needing much explanation. Their history stretches back through high school and college, and now the stage is bigger, the stakes are louder, and the next chapter arrives with both players trying to establish themselves in front of a national audience. [Read more 🡒]