BYU’s roster is getting heavier with blue-chip talent, and the Cougars are heading toward 2026 Fall Camp with a group that looks a lot different from the one they had before joining the Big 12.
The projection here is straightforward: BYU should have 21 former four-star recruits on the roster by the time fall camp opens, along with a few more blue-chip players currently on missions who are expected to join the program later. That works out to a blue-chip ratio of 24.7%, and it’s the kind of talent level that has BYU in position to contend for the Big 12 championship in 2026.
That recruiting rise matters because these players are not just filling out the depth chart. Of the 21 projected four-star recruits, 19 or 20 are expected to land in the two-deep. The lone exception is returned missionary Devoux Tuataga, who got home from his mission only a few months ago and missed the window to take part in Spring Camp.
The defense carries a big chunk of that talent. Ten of the 21 former four-star recruits are projected to be on that side of the ball, and cornerback is the only defensive position where BYU won’t have a former blue-chip recruit.
The Cougars have also shown they can develop these recruits once they arrive. Faletau Satuala has already matched the hype since enrolling.
Siale Esera has been a steady contributor whenever he’s been healthy. Nusi Taumoepeau turned into one of BYU’s best pass rushers as a true freshman.
Hunter Clegg played more snaps than any true freshman not named Bear Bachmeier last season.
The next wave is already on the way, too. Kennan Pula and Braxton Lindsey are both part of the newest group of four-star talent and have a chance to play as true freshmen.
Offensively, BYU has a former four-star recruit at every position, and there are multiple blue-chip players at every spot except quarterback and running back. That kind of spread gives the Cougars a very different look across the board.
The hit rate has been strong there as well. LJ Martin and Bear Bachmeier, BYU’s star backfield, were both four-star recruits out of high school. The projected starters at tackle are Andrew Gentry on the right side and Paki Finau on the left, and Roger Salepeaga and Walker Lyons were both described as two of BYU’s best players during Spring Camp.
Another freshman, Jaron Pula, could also step in and make an immediate impact.
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The respect around Sitake also stands out when measured against some of the newer faces in the league, including Utahs Morgan Scalley, who is stepping into his first year as a head coach. McMurphy also noted that Penn State came after Sitake last year and he stayed put, which only adds to the sense that BYU has something unusual in a conference where coaching turnover is constant. For the Cougars, that kind of national recognition is more than a personal honor for Sitake. It is another sign that the program has become a place people around the country now view differently. [Read more 🡒]