Former BYU players made plenty of noise in the NFL preseason opener Thursday night, with Kedon Slovis, Miles Davis and Brady Christensen all leaving their mark in the Hall of Fame game.
The Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers opened the exhibition slate in Canton, Ohio, and the Panthers came away with a 33-30 win. But the night included a strong showing from several players with BYU ties.
Slovis handled most of the second half at quarterback for Arizona and was sharp throughout, going 9 of 10 for 106 yards and a touchdown. His passer rating of 144.2 led the game. He also delivered a late jolt, hitting Bryson Green on a 1-yard touchdown pass with just under two minutes remaining to put the Cardinals in front before Carolina answered with a game-winning drive.
Kedon Slovis with the clutch TD toss!
Could prove to be the game winner. The former BYU QB had a solid outing. pic.twitter.com/nip2IFyinR
- Diggin’ Brigham (@DigginBrigham) August 7, 2026
On the Carolina side, Davis finished as the Panthers’ top rusher. He carried the ball four times for 53 yards and added three receptions for eight yards. Davis spent five seasons at BYU before posting nearly 1,000 total yards at Utah State last season.
Christensen also played a key role for Carolina, starting at center and helping the Panthers pile up 141 rushing yards as a team while averaging 6.4 yards per carry.
Former Brighton High standout and Utah native Simi Fehoko added another former Utah connection to the night, catching a 5-yard touchdown pass for the Cardinals.
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BYUs Backfield Has An Unexpected New Name Worth Watching
BYUs running backs group picked up an intriguing new face for the 2026 roster, and it comes in the form of a preferred walk-on who has already caught the staffs attention. Journee Tonga, a 5-foot-8 back out of Leuzinger High in Lawndale, Calif., has been added to the program and joins a room that already includes LJ Martin, Sione Moa, Preston Rex and Devaughn Eka.
There is always a little extra interest when a newcomer starts climbing into the conversation at a position like this, and Tonga seems to have done enough early to merit a longer look. Offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick described him as a strong student and a versatile high school player who has picked up the offense quickly, the kind of early impression that can make a walk-on worth tracking as the offseason unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
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A big part of that evaluation is the battle for the No. 3 cornerback spot behind the top options, with Mory Bamba leaving a hole that has to be filled. BYU has multiple candidates in the mix, including transfer Jayven Williams and returning defender Kevin Doe, and Walkers early months on the job will go a long way toward revealing how the staff wants to shape that group moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
BYU May Have Found The Frontcourt Answer It Desperately Needed
BYU appears to have addressed one of its most obvious offseason needs by landing Jakub Urbaniak, a 23-year-old Polish big man who has committed to the Cougars with the chance to give the frontcourt a different look. Urbaniak comes in with pro experience in both Poland and Spain and a rsum that already includes international play for Poland, giving BYU a veteran addition at a spot where the roster needed help.
What makes Urbaniak interesting for the Cougars is not just his size, but the way he is described as a mobile big who can move between forward and center. That kind of versatility can matter a lot for a BYU team looking for lineup flexibility in the post, especially if the staff wants more options around the basket and on the floor at the same time. The move gives the Cougars a clearer path to solving the frontcourt issue, even if the exact fit will have to wait until he gets on campus. [Read more 🡒]