Which BYU players could be drafted in 2026?..
The former Utah Utes standout transferred to BYU in the offseason.
BYU defensive tackle Keanu Tanuvasa runs through drills March 13, 2025, during the Cougars’ spring camp in Provo. The former Utah Utes standout transferred to BYU in the offseason.
Let’s face it, the 2025 NFL draft was a major disappointment for BYU’s football program.
For the first time since 2020, and second time since 2015, no former Cougar heard his name called in the Annual Player Selection Meeting.
That was quite surprising, considering that the Cougars went 11-2 in 2024, had one of the better senior classes in recent memory, and had a lot of outstanding performances at the Big 12’s Pro Days in Frisco, Texas, in March.
Special Collector’s Issue: “1984: The Year BYU was Second to None”
Get an inclusive look inside BYU Football’s 1984 National Championship season.
On the bright side, the whiff in the draft is a testament to the coaching job Kalani Sitake and his staff did in 2024, taking a team with a relatively inexperienced starting quarterback in Jake Retzlaff and no real superstars to one of the best seasons in program history. As the Deseret News pointed out last November, the MVP of the BYU football team in 2024 was the team itself.
Togetherness and the culture of accountability propelled the group that wasn’t given the credit it deserved when the College Football Playoff bids were handed out, or in last weekend’s draft. BYU, which finished with a No. 13 national ranking in 2024, was one of six Power Four programs that didn’t have a player drafted, joining Duke, Wake Forest, Baylor, Houston and Mississippi State.
None of those other programs finished in the Associated Press Top 25 college football poll. That doesn’t mean the Cougars are happy with how everything went down; Sitake has made putting players into the NFL a priority, and makes it a part of his recruiting pitch.
Rival schools will undoubtedly point out to recruits that no BYU players were taken in the 2025 draft.
The good news is that after the draft, eight former Cougars were given opportunities to continue their careers, with the caveat that very few undrafted players make 53-man rosters. It’s an uphill battle, for sure.
For a picker-upper, undrafted players can look at former BYU punter Ryan Rehkow, who didn’t hear his name called last year, but went the free agent route and is now a mainstay with the Cincinnati Bengals, having recently signed a two-year extension with that club after a stellar rookie season.
Defensive end Tyler Batty (Vikings), cornerback Jakob Robinson (49ers), offensive lineman Caleb Etienne (Bengals) and defensive tackle Blake Mangelson (Steelers) have signed free-agent deals. It was reported Monday that Batty is getting $259,000 guaranteed, along with a $25,000 signing bonus, from the Vikings.
Offensive lineman Brayden Keim (Chiefs, Bears), center Connor Pay (Raiders) and receiver Darius Lassiter (Eagles) received minicamp invitations. Cornerback Marque Collins signed a contract with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
