My Guys for the class of 2025
Over on Cougar Sports Insider, I released an introduction to 30 players who already are or who will soon be on the BYU recruiting radar. Today we get a different twist for 2025 as I release the list of 'My Guys' for the upcoming recruiting class. These are the players that I want at BYU in a BAD way next class. I'm ignoring recruiting rankings. I'm ignoring competing offers. I'm basing this solely on what I see, what I know, and what I believe about each of the players on this list.
Weston Port
I love Weston Port. I have so much love for Weston Port. He is a bruising linebacker with college-ready size today. He has grown up with an affinity for BYU and comes from a major BYU family. There is a lot to like about the idea of BYU and Port getting married - he would be an absolute stud in Jay Hill's defensive scheme.
He is close with BYU tight end Ryner Swanson. He is also influential like BYU tight end Ryner Swanson. If Port were to commit to BYU, there would be others who followed suit. He's a natural leader and a highly sought after prospect.
Why he's My Guy: He's a throwback linebacker who hits like he's trying to hurt people. But he's also a pretty dynamic athlete. He plays tight end for his high school and is frequently catching balls on seam routes for his offense. That's the kind of versatility that excels in the BYU defense. And the matchups between Port and Swanson in practice would he a heck of a lot of fun.
Kelepi Vete
He's got a twin brother who is committed to Stanford. But, despite that (and depsite the fact that he also holds an offer from Stanford), Kelepi is high on the Cougars right now. He's a defensive tackle prospect who has a bunch of P4 attention already. BYU is in a great position with him in the early goings of 2025.
Why he's My Guy: When you talk to Kelepi, you can't help but be excited about his future. He's energetic and he's as determined to be great as any other player I talk to. Whether his ceiling is a first-round draft pick or a career backup, there won't be any untapped potential with Kelepi. He works too hard and is too driven to not reach his maximum potential. He's exactly the kind of player that BYU needs in the locker room to win with culture.
Austin Pay
He's a Pay. You want to just stay out of his way. What more can I say? Maybe we can eat some hay? Or lay down by the bay and make things out of clay? I just may!
He's got the genes to be GREAT at the next level. His dad and his two older brothers know exactly what it takes to be successful at BYU. He has a long, slender frame that has the makings of a dominating offensive tackle at the next level. There is so much to like about what he brings to the table.
Why he's My Guy: For my dollar, he's the most college-ready offensive tackle in the state of Utah. There have been some studs to come out of the state in recent years - Brady Christensen, Blake Freeland, Kingsley Suamataia, Spencer Fano, Ike Garcia, Aaron Dunn. Pay is aboslutely in the conversation with each of those players. He's got every physical tool you would want in an offensive lineman and he's wired differently than guys ranked ahead of him. Sunday good, folks.
Cyrus Polu
Polu is kind of mean. I mean, he's a great dude off the field and he's absolutely someone that I would want on my team and in my locker room. But when he's playing the game of football, he's kind of mean! He plays with an edge that reminds me of a young Sione Takitaki. He's a different player than Takitaki, but that quiet arrogance and swagger that Takitaki played with is very similar to what Polu brings to the table.
Why he's My Guy: If Kalani Sitake is going to win with culture then he has to find guys who bring a special kind of culture to the table. Polu is that guy. He would fit in well at BYU off the field, but on the field, he would bring a swagger and a tone to the way he plays that is infectious. He's a dominant player who wins individual battles and wins football games. BYU needs to establish a winning culture and what better way to do that than to bring in winners?
Brian Tapu
If I was ranking these players 1-10 on 'how badly I want them at BYU' then I think Tapu would be at the top of my list. This dude is special.
The 6-7, 295-pound offensive tackle is new to the game of football. He played at Layton Christian Academy last year - his first year ever playing football. He has moved up to West High School this year where he will look to develop further and advance his game.
He's a hell of a nice kid to talk to and someone that fans would fall in love with quickly. On the field, he's got dominant potential. He plays with a kind of physicality and violence that makes you think he could eventually be an NFL lineman.
Why he's My Guy: I love this kid's story. He's from New Zealand and played at 2A LCA to learn the game of football. He's still raw - REALLY raw - in terms of what he can become. He plays angry. All of his football highlights are him playing angry. When you factor in the fact that he still doesn't really know what he's doing out there, his highlights are even more impressive. Based on what we know about TJ Woods, Tapu is a perfect fit for him.
Bryton Brady
Lost in all of the Corner Canyon hub-bub last year was the fact that their found an absolute DUDE at running back in Bryton Brady. He quietly ran for more than 1200 yards while also pulling in nearly 600 yards as a receiver. This was in an offense, mind you, that featured Isaac Wilson, Jerome Myles, and Tate Kjar. Brady gave the Corner offense something it hasn't had in a few years - a bona fide D1 running back.
Why he's My Guy: I watched the games, really.
Look, I never expected a kid who spells Bryton with a Y to be someone that I REALLY want at BYU either. Especially not someone who was 5-5, 125 pounds when they created their Hudl profile. But, Brady is 5-10 and 175 pounds now. He's got breakaway speed. He is wildly productive at an elite school in the state of Utah. As a senior, he's going to be the focal point of the Corner offense and I could not be more excited to see how it plays out.
I don't think he's ever going to be an NFL guy, but I think he can be a very effective college football player. And I would like that effective college football career to be in Provo.
Other guys who ALMOST made the list:
Leo Hannan
Aiden Manutai
Logan Christensen
Tyler Payne
Darius Afalava
Charger Doty