Two games into the 2026 season, Cannon DeVries has gone from being a name tied to a mission return to one of the most important early pieces for No. 11 BYU.
The former Weber High standout has surged to the top of the Cougars’ nickel depth chart during their 2-0 start, and he’s done it by showing up everywhere. DeVries leads BYU with 10 tackles, including five solo stops, and has added a pass breakup on defense. He’s also piled up 173 of the Cougars’ kickoff and punt return yards, highlighted by a 100-yard kickoff return touchdown against Utah Tech in the opener.
He backed that up a week later against Arizona, finishing with a team-high nine tackles and joining Tommy Prassas on a fourth-down stop that helped close out a 28-17 win.
While LJ Martin leads BYU with 184 all-purpose yards, DeVries is right behind him with 175.
“I was super hungry this year. I knew that I could help the team out in a lot of different ways, whether that was on defense or the return game and any other special teams,” DeVries told KSL.com before BYU left for its Week 3 road opener at Colorado State (5:30 p.m.
MT, CBS). “I came in with a chip on my shoulder, wanting to take a starting spot, to play a ton, and make big plays.
“I came in with a lot of confidence, energy, flew around - and the coaches have trusted me to have opportunities to succeed and showcase what I can do.”
The nickname “Little Weddle” has followed DeVries for a while, and it makes sense once you watch him. He’s long admired former Utah star Eric Weddle, who played cornerback, nickel and strong safety before a 14-year NFL career. DeVries even wears No. 32 partly as a nod to Weddle, whom he calls “one of my all-time role models.”
That label stuck at Weber High, where DeVries turned heads as a senior in 2021 by returning five interceptions, two punts and a kickoff for touchdowns and earning Deseret News Two-Way Player of the Year honors. He also won Region 1 MVP and set school records in the 100 and 200 meters at 10.89 and 22.2 seconds.
He committed to BYU during his senior year, then left for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Texas Houston South Mission. When he came back home in May 2024, he appeared in all 14 games last season, mostly on special teams, but also logged four tackles at nickel and shared a tackle for loss in the opener against Portland State.
“Coming home from the mission was definitely a hard adjustment,” the converted two-way wide receiver/safety said.. “You're body just isn't used to the fatigue or the strain of college ball.
So last year was really good for me to be able to learn the defense, and switch positions ... It was a big learning curve for me.
But as I worked all offseason and got some experience last year, it definitely motivated me to work a ton this offseason to be in the position I could be this season.”
BYU’s nickel role asks a lot: cornerback coverage, safety awareness and linebacker-style pop downhill. Demario Warren, the Cougars’ safeties coach, says DeVries has the right mix for it.
“He's a former corner who is physical and tough, and it's natural for him to cover,” Warren said, adding, “He's want to be great, and he's got a lot of characteristics of a great football player - and he's starting to show that.”
Warren also called it “one of the hardest positions to play in football” and pointed to DeVries’ versatility as a major asset.
“You've got to be so unique and do so many different things. But that's what makes him special; he's a hybrid sort of person, to be a deep safety, to be someone who can cover, to be in the box - and have the intelligence to do all of those things. We do a lot with our nickels, and the way he understands the defense really helps us in our scheme.”
That kind of role fits DeVries’ background. In high school, he played offense, defense, handled kick and punt returns, and even blocked a few field goals.
“The only time I ever came off was kicking field goals - and kickoffs,” he said with a smile.
And there may be another DeVries making his way toward BYU. Cannon’s younger brother, Creed, is a junior at Weber High and already follows the same multi-purpose path as a 6-foot-2, 170-pound two-way receiver and safety who also returns kicks and punts. Creed is uncommitted, though BYU offered him a scholarship in April, according to 247Sports.
“If you turn on film, he's almost always double- or triple-teamed on every single play,” Cannon said. “But he finds a way to get the ball.
“If you put the ball in the air, he has incredible ball skills. No matter what, he's going to go take it out of the air and come down with it.
Just a huge playmaker, where ever you put it on the field. I'm excited to see what he can do for years to come.”
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