BYU picked up another piece for its 2027 recruiting class on Friday, landing local athlete Owen Leishman after he chose the Cougars over Utah and Utah State.
Leishman had already spent time in Provo, taking an official visit to BYU in June. After sitting on the decision for a few months, he shut things down and committed to the Cougars.
GO COUGS! 🤙@kalanifsitake @BYUfootball @Coach_Popp pic.twitter.com/zTS3aEGaUG
A product of Rideline High School, Leishman lines up on both sides of the ball. 247Sports lists him as a wide receiver, and he also plays tight end.
BYU is expected to use him at linebacker, though a move to tight end is still on the table. He brings size at 6'3, along with the speed to chase down ballcarriers.
Earlier this year, he took part in the UA Next event and ran a 4.59 40-yard dash.
At tight end, Leishman is described as a physical pass-catcher who can also handle blocking duties.
His recruitment didn’t really heat up until the summer. Leishman attended camps at BYU, Utah and Utah State, and once those staffs saw him in person, each school offered him right away. He eventually made only one official visit, to BYU, and now he’s headed to Provo to continue his career.
Leishman was among the last uncommitted defensive prospects on BYU’s board. The Cougars could still add more 2027 defensive players, but most of the class is already in place. On defense, Leishman joins in-state commits Uhila Wolfgramm, Moa Havili, Peyton Higginson, Lakepa Satuala, Jag Ioane and Tyton DeJong.
The out-of-state defensive group includes Jeremiah Williams, Ryan Wooten, Kamoni Adams, Demichael Burks and Jaxson Rex.
This 2027 group is the first class for BYU’s new defensive staff, and the early returns have been strong. BYU has what might be its best defensive line class of the Kalani Sitake era, with two four-star commitments in Wolfgramm and Williams, plus two three-star pledges in Havili and Ioane who also bring a long list of P4 offers. In the secondary, the Cougars have added cornerbacks Ryan Wooten, Kamoni Adams and Demichael Burks, and it wouldn’t be surprising if two of those three were able to make an immediate impact next season.
BYU has won plenty in the Big 12 over the last two years, and continuing that run will require keeping the recruiting pipeline strong. After Jay Hill’s departure, the defensive staff has shown it can do that.
In Other News...
BYU Will Honor The Team That Defined Cougar Football
The 1976 BYU football team is getting a proper salute in Provo, and it fits the programs history as well as any reunion could. That group helped define Cougar football under LaVell Edwards and offensive coordinator Doug Scovil by leaning into the forward pass, and quarterback Gifford Nielsen along with other members of the team will be part of the pregame celebration before the game against Arizona.
The tribute will include the Cougar Walk and the Light the Y ceremony, giving fans a chance to recognize a team whose influence still hangs over the program. It also comes with a little added context from the matchup itself, since BYUs history against Arizona has included some memorable September wins over the years, making this weekend feel like more than just another game on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Faces An Early Big 12 Test With More Than One Wrinkle
Arizona and BYU are heading into a meaningful Big 12 matchup at LaVell Edwards Stadium, and there is already more than enough intrigue baked into the game before kickoff. Noah Fifita arrives with something to prove against BYU, while the Cougars are dealing with their own roster shift on defense, with safety Tommy Prassas set to start after Raider Damuni was injured.
For a game this early in conference play, the stakes feel bigger than the calendar says they should. Both teams have spent the week adjusting their plans and personnel, and BYU is trying to protect its home field while sorting through a test that could say plenty about where the Cougars fit in the Big 12 picture. [Read more 🡒]
BYU's Big 12 Opener Comes With Extra Tension Against Arizona
BYUs Big 12 opener already had plenty of weight attached to it, but the coaching subplot adds another layer of familiarity to a game that matters for both programs. Kalani Sitake and Arizonas Brent Brennan go back to their time together at Oregon State, where their relationship was built on shared work and the kind of mutual respect that tends to linger long after the setting changes. Now theyll be on opposite sidelines as BYU steps into conference play against a familiar opponent with its own history in the matchup.
Sitake and Brennan both acknowledged the personal side of the meeting while making clear the competition will take over once the game starts. For BYU, it is another chance to measure itself in the Big 12 against a team that knows how to raise the stakes, and the conversation around the matchup has only grown with recent remarks from Arizonas defensive staff about how far along its preparation already is. The familiarity makes it interesting, but the conference points make it matter. [Read more 🡒]