This page will track transfer portal arrivals and departures throughout the 2022-23 BYU football offseason. I will be updating this list as more transfer news comes in. Please DM me on Twitter @JFloyd314 if I've missed anyone.
Mac Aloisio, OL
There isn't a lot to say about this one. Originally a defensive line recruit who signed with BYU in 2020 before serving a mission, Aloisio switched to offense and redshirted the 2022 season after his return. He never actually played a snap for BYU.
Clark Barrington and Campbell Barrington, OL
Given that Clark and Campbell are brothers and both transferred to Baylor, I'm going to group them together. Losing the Barringtons stinks. It really does. Clark was a regular starter and played well last year, while Campbell was a consistent rotational contributor. They're both headed to Waco to join former BYU coaches Jeff Grimes and Eric Mateos, who initially recruited them to BYU. While their decision stings a little for BYU fans, never fear. The offensive line looks as deep as ever headed into next year, as you'll see later in this list.
Chandler Bird, OL
An outstanding student in high school whose grades got him attention from multiple Ivy League programs, Bird ultimately chose to walk on at BYU in 2020. However, he has never appeared in a game and wasn't even listed on the 2022 roster. He seems to have become one of several casualties of the increased O-line depth that has arrived at BYU via the portal.
Jacob Conover, QB
Jacob Conover is such an interesting player. If I'm being honest, I still don't quite know what to make of him. A sought-after recruit out of high school, Conover turned down Alabama (among several other high-profile offers) to sign with BYU and generated excitement the moment he stepped on campus. Many people, myself included, expected Conover to be Jaren Hall's heir apparent and the next great BYU quarterback. That...didn't work out. Instead, Aaron Roderick proved so reluctant to give Conover meaningful playing time that Hall ended up being forced to play hurt for several games (especially Notre Dame). When injuries ahead of Conover finally forced him to play meaningful minutes against Utah State in 2021 and Stanford in 2022, the reasons for Roderick's hesitance became painfully obvious. Conover never looked comfortable in the offense. His throwing motion seemed off and his timing was never better than questionable. Did Conover just have jitters? Did he struggle adapting to the bright lights? We may never know the whole story. What we do know is that despite spending two seasons learning the Cougars' potent, QB-friendly offense, he never developed beyond a shaky, unreliable passer tasked mostly with handing the ball off. As his career takes him next to Arizona State (a program which initially recruited him out of high school), it's fair to wonder whether he'll ever live up to the enormous hype that surrounded his prep career.
Zoom Esplin, EDGE
Zoom Esplin's departure from BYU is a shame if nothing else because he leaves huge shoes to fill on the BYU All-Name Team. Beyond that, though, there's not much to say here. Esplin committed to BYU as an offensive lineman in 2022, but at 6'9" and 265 lbs, he was quickly switched to edge rusher. He redshirted the 2022 season and never appeared in a game. Esplin has now committed to Weber State out of the portal.
Terence Fall, WR
Terence Fall's story is a cautionary tale—the grass isn't always greener on the other side of the transfer portal. The French-born speedster got into a handful of games in garbage time last year and showed some impressive stuff. His quickness out of the backfield made him a weapon on the jet sweep, which Aaron Roderick famously loves to run. That being the case, it's a little surprising that Fall decided to leave. He would have had a lot of career ahead of him in a system that caters to players with his skillset. He had the potential to make his way up the depth chart had he chosen to stay and develop under Fesi Sitake's coaching. That said, he has since committed to Garden City Community College in Kansas, which makes me wonder if there were non-football factors influencing his decision to leave BYU. That would be quite the downgrade in program quality just to get playing time.
Logan Fano, EDGE
Ugh. UGH. There haven't been a lot of really impactful losses for BYU in the portal this year, but Fano is probably the worst. And the fact that he transferred to Utah makes it infinitely more terrible. This one is a bad look for BYU, plain and simple. There's no way to sugarcoat it. Fano was the future of the Cougars' defensive line, and he could have done great things under Jay Hill and Sione Po'uha. It's not exactly clear why Fano, one of Ilaisa Tuiaki and Preston Hadley's exceedingly rare high-profile recruiting wins, decided to transfer. Oh, wait, the answer might be in that sentence. After the previous defensive coaching staff utterly failed to build a competent unit in large part because of their deficiencies as recruiters, it's not enormously surprising that Fano would choose to go elsewhere—especially since Utah's Whittingham-era defenses have been known for their consistently tough play in the trenches. Still, as the BYU defense enters a new and hopeful era under Jay Hill, not having Fano as part of that unit is going to hurt.
Nathaniel Gillis, CB
There's not much to say here. Gillis was one of those "project" recruits that Ilaisa Tuiaki and his staff became infamous for chasing. Unstarred by major recruiting services and with BYU as his only FBS offer, he appeared in only one game—playing a handful of snaps against Utah State—during his lone season in Provo. Gillis has now committed to following the Cougars' old defensive staff to Northern Colorado.
Korbyn Green, CB
Green was one of BYU's more interesting 2022 recruits, picking the Cougars over the likes of Baylor, Oklahoma, and Kansas. However, while he appeared on the active roster for most of his freshman season, he played in just three games—almost exclusively on special teams—and didn't make much of a splash.
Dallin Holker, TE
This was a weird situation that I've already discussed somewhat, so I won't bore you with an in-depth rehash. Holker's departure from BYU a few games into the 2022 season was bizarrely timed and uncomfortable for all involved. While he is obviously talented and had the clear respect of his teammates (even being elected a captain at the start of the season), he must have felt he wasn't getting the touches he deserved...or something. It's not really clear why Holker decided to leave and different sources will tell you different things, but the BYU TE room looks solid even without him. Holker has since committed to Colorado State.
Gabe Jeudy-Lally, CB
I was excited when Jeudy-Lally committed to BYU last year. He was really good at Vanderbilt and I thought he had the potential to take BYU's secondary to the next level. That...didn't happen. Jeudy-Lally himself wasn't terrible and had his moments, but he never really distinguished himself and the secondary as a whole left much to be desired. His obvious replacement looks to be Eddie Heckard (see below), who I would argue has the potential to be a significant upgrade. Meanwhile, Jeudy-Lally is returning to his SEC roots and will play out the 2023 season at Tennessee.
Dean Jones, S
Dean Jones was a three-star DB prospect out of Arizona who turned down a couple of Pac-12 teams, including Utah, to sign with BYU. After spending two years in the program, though, he never rose above the level of benchwarmer. He appeared in just three games for a total of 30 snaps during the 2022 season, all in garbage time. He is now committed to SUU.
Brooks Maile, DT
Brooks Maile is a player who might have gotten you excited when he signed with the program back in 2019, but whose name you probably haven't heard much since then. After serving a mission, he greyshirted during the 2021 season. Then, during the 2022 offseason, he suffered a season-ending injury and missed the entirety of what should have been his freshman season. All of that is to say that despite his potential, he never once saw a snap for the Cougars in a live game. Per Mitch Harper of KSL, Maile hadn't gotten many 1st or 2nd team reps in spring ball and the writing appeared to be on the wall for his chances of contributing immediately at BYU. While it would have been fun to see what this 6'4", 320 lb mountain of a man could have contributed, he's also probably not that significant of a loss, as evidenced by the fact that he wasn't exactly inundated with P5 offers after entering the portal—he ended up joining former Cougar teammate Nathaniel Gillis in committing to Northern Colorado.
Isaiah Perez, EDGE
Isaiah Perez was a legacy recruit from 2020, the nephew of former Cougars Eddie and Ryan Keele. However, after serving a mission, he didn't appear in any games as a freshman in 2022. He has committed to Eastern Washington out of the transfer portal.
Cash Peterman, K
It's perhaps not an enormous surprise to see Peterman's name on this list. Originally recruited to BYU way back in 2017, Peterman has never risen above the status of "Jake Oldroyd's backup", and even then, only for kickoffs—Justen Smith has handled placekicking duties in Oldroyd's absence. And while Oldroyd's departure this year might have freed up the placekicker spot for an open competition, Boise State kicker Will Ferrin's arrival in the transfer portal has further gummed up the placekicking depth chart. It's hard to blame Peterman for seeking a different situation, and he seems to have found one, announcing his commitment to Arizona on June 22.
Keenan Pili, LB
This one is a little painful and also rather surprising. If I'm being honest, I didn't even realize Pili had eligibility remaining after the 2022 season (some BYU football blogger, I know). To find out he had decided to stay in college...but not at BYU...was less than ideal. He now takes his talents to Rocky Top, where he will look to find a role on a Tennessee team much improved from the one he and the Cougars defeated in 2019. While BYU has added impressive depth at linebacker from the portal already, Pili would have been a welcome veteran presence. When healthy, he was arguably the Cougars' best defensive player in 2022.
Logan Pili, LB
The younger brother of Keenan Pili, Logan appeared in just three games as a freshman in 2022. However, he made the most of one of these appearances, putting up a strong performance against SMU in the Cougars' New Mexico Bowl victory after injuries in the LB group forced him to play extended minutes. He could have been a nice developmental depth piece going forward, but he apparently decided against that route. Instead, he's headed for Logan and rival Utah State, where a lack of defensive depth might give him the opportunity to contribute immediately.
Tate Romney, LB
The younger brother of standout WR Gunner Romney and longtime backup QB Baylor Romney, Tate was a coveted recruit out of high school and viewed as an important piece in the LB room going forward. That makes his departure one of the more notable on this list, but that's not to say it was unexpected. With both of his brothers having moved on and his friend and high school teammate, Jacob Conover, transferring away, it's no surprise that Romney decided to enter the portal. He has since committed to joining Conover at Arizona State.
Vae Soifua, OL
Soifua was a three-star recruit out of Orem High who picked BYU over Arizona, Virginia, and a laundry list of G5 offers. As a result of BYU's O-line depth, he didn't see the field last year as a true freshman. And with a massive increase in that depth coming via the portal, his odds of playing as a sophomore didn't look a whole lot better. In that light, his decision to transfer doesn't look too surprising; equally unsurprising is his choice of destinations, Weber State.
Talin Togiai, OL
Togiai was viewed as a nice pickup for the Cougars when he committed in 2021. A coveted offensive line prospect out of Rigby, Idaho whose older brother, Tommy, plays for the Cleveland Browns, Togiai turned down Nebraska and Utah to sign with BYU. However, he didn't appear in a single game as a freshman, failing to crack the Cougars' crowded and deep OL rotation. His offer sheet wasn't nearly as impressive the second time around, and he has committed to Idaho State.
George Udo, S
George Udo has been a rotational player for most of his time at BYU and has occasionally shown flashes of great potential. But if you forgot he was on the team in 2022, you could be forgiven. Injuries have really derailed Udo's BYU career, and I can't blame him for wanting a fresh start elsewhere. He's a solid player when healthy and could contribute immediately for his new program, fellow Big XII call-up Cincinnati.
Isaiah Bagnah, EDGE
Isaiah Bagnah has been gathering attention since he announced his intent to transfer to BYU. Most recently, the Lethbridge, Alberta native was named to Big Game Boomer's preseason top-50 edge rushers list. A rotational player who appeared in 20 games at Boise State and recorded six sacks in 2022, Bagnah brings experience to a defensive line that desperately needs it. He was surprisingly lightly recruited in the portal, collecting a smattering of G5 and FCS offers, but don't let that fool you. He has the potential to be a star on defense for the Cougars.
Jackson Cravens, DT
A Provo native initially recruited to Utah, Cravens played one game for the Utes back in 2018 before transferring to Boise State. He was a starter for the Broncos in 2021 before primarily coming off the bench in 2022. According to PFF, that was the right move—2022 was Cravens' most effective season yet. He has one year of eligibility left, and BYU's new DL coach, Sione Po'uha, must be downright thrilled to see a guy with 900 career college snaps join his position group.
Wyatt Dawe, DT
If the name Dawe sounds familiar, it should. Wyatt's older brothers, Parker and Zac, are both BYU alumni and Zac is one of BYU's great recent defensive linemen. Wyatt, a 6'5", 300 lb monster, got rotational playing time on the interior of SUU's D-line in 2022 before entering the portal and choosing BYU as a PWO. He's a bit more of a project than Zac was, but his size and last name make him one to watch going forward.
Jake Eichorn, OL
The first of several talented and exciting OL prospects that will appear on this list, Eichorn was arguably Weber State's best offensive lineman as a redshirt freshman in 2022. He chose BYU over Washington State and a host of G5 offers and will add even more depth to a truly stacked offensive line. Any other year, I might pencil in Eichorn as an immediate starter—this year, though, he probably won't be any higher than third off the bench given how much talent the Cougars have in that all-important position group. Expect Eichorn to get significant playing time in the OL rotation this year.
Caleb Etienne, OL
Don't let anyone, especially salty Oklahoma State fans, convince you otherwise—Etienne is a MASSIVE pickup for BYU on the offensive line. And a surprising one at that. He was in the transfer portal for a matter of hours and had no announced offers before suddenly committing to BYU out of the proverbial blue. Having started all 13 games at left tackle for the Cowboys in 2022, he brings a level of experience that the Cougars would have missed with the departure of the Barrington brothers and the loss of Blake Freeland to the draft. He will probably switch to the right side for the Cougars, with Kingsley Suamataia a likely choice for the LT spot, but he should provide instant impact wherever he plays.
Will Ferrin, K
Will Ferrin's move to BYU is probably a product of the Cougars hiring Boise State special teams coordinator Kelly Poppinga. Originally recruited to Utah State before flipping to the Broncos post-mission, Ferrin got some playing time in 2022 as the kickoff specialist and also punted twice. He should be in the mix to start at placekicker with Jake Oldroyd leaving.
Ian Fitzgerald, OL
A fifth-year senior out of Missouri State, Fitzgerald was a multi-year starter at the FCS level and played exceptionally well in 2022. He had a lengthy offer sheet, though BYU was the only P5 program on the list. Before Caleb Etienne surprised everyone by committing to BYU, I would have penciled in Fitzgerald as a likely starter. Now, I'm not so confident. Whether or not he starts will come down to how he stacks up with the rest of BYU's incredibly strong rotation.
Dylan Flowers, CB
Flowers' route to BYU is one of the more unusual on this list. Originally offered scholarships by both BYU and Tennessee as a junior in high school, he was robbed of his senior season by the Covid-19 pandemic. As bigger programs, including BYU, backed off due to a lack of senior year film, Flowers ended up at SUU. He played a fair amount as a freshman, then redshirted his sophomore season in 2022. His connection with Jernaro Gilford (who initially offered him in high school) still intact, he ultimately chose BYU in the transfer portal. He has one other significant connection to BYU which probably influenced that decision—he is the cousin of Cougar WR Kody Epps.
Kamden Garrett, CB
The first and less well-known of two Weber State cornerbacks on this list, Garrett is nevertheless an important signing for BYU. A fifth-year senior, he was a rotational player in four straight seasons with the Wildcats thanks to the NCAA's Covid-19 exemption. In 2022, he was honorable mention All-Big Sky and one of the mainstays of a very talented Weber State secondary. Like his teammate Eddie Heckard (see below), Garrett comes to BYU with one year of eligibillity remaining. He brings vital depth to the Cougars' cornerback room and should compete for heavy rotational snaps.
Eddie Heckard, CB
It's hard to overstate what an enormous pickup Heckard is for BYU. The 5'10" cornerback from Weber State was one of the best FCS defensive backs in the nation last year and most thought he would simply enter the NFL draft, where he was widely projected as a late round pick. Instead, he chose to use his final year of NCAA eligibility to join former Wildcat head coach Jay Hill at BYU. He instantly makes the Cougar secondary significantly better and fills a position of serious need given that BYU has lost three corners, including starter Gabe Jeudy-Lally, to the portal this offseason. He is as talented a DB as the Cougars have had in years and should make an immediate, dramatic impact.
Kyle Hester, TE
Hester redshirted the 2019 season as a freshman at New Mexico before serving a mission. He now joins a BYU tight end room in flux, with Isaac Rex pretty clearly established at the top but not much order or hierarchy below him. Hester will be competing with more experienced players but will still have a shot in what has increasingly become a wide open position group.
Kason Krebs, LB
Krebs redshirted the 2022 season as a freshman at SUU. He's an intriguing physical prospect but will be hard-pressed to compete for immediate snaps with talented players ahead of him on the depth chart.
Weylin Lapuaho, OL
Weylin Lapuaho is yet another very exciting addition to BYU's offensive line this offseason. As a freshman at Utah State in 2022, Lapuaho started every game for the Aggies. That's not a common feat at a position that rewards physical stature and development and tends to be the preserve of more experienced players as a result. Lapuaho is a Bingham High product and the cousin of former Cougar Ului Lapuaho. He's also a physical specimen at 6'4" and 310 lbs. As mentioned above, I could have seen both Fitzgerald and Lapuaho starting this year...until Caleb Etienne transferred to BYU. Now, either Fitzgerald or Lapuaho will probably have to yield a starting spot to Etienne. Personally, I would expect Lapuaho to start, with Fitzgerald as a top rotation guy off the bench. Fascinatingly, like Etienne, Lapuaho spent very little time in the portal—just 18 hours in fact—and BYU was the only offer he announced publicly before committing.
Darius Lassiter, WR
Lassiter is one of the most important players on this list. He fills a position of urgent need—even with Kody Epps' decision to stay at BYU, the Cougars' WR room is uncomfortably shallow. Epps' feared departure made Lassiter a high-priority target for the BYU staff, and his return hasn't decreased Lassiter's importance to the program. Originally a JUCO product who spent the 2022 season at Eastern Michigan, Lassiter was highly sought-after in the portal. He ultimately chose BYU over Colorado, Washington State, Pittsburgh, Boston College, and a host of G5 schools. He will be an instant contributor where the Cougars badly needed one.
Mata’ava Ta’ase, TE
Ta'ase has both one of the coolest names and one of the weirdest stories of anyone on this list. Originally a two-star wide receiver recruit from the class of 2016 (yes, 2016!), he served a mission before spending the 2019 season at the junior college level. He then switched to tight end and transferred to SUU, where he has spent the last three seasons. Bizarrely, because of his Covid year, Ta'ase arrives at BYU with two years of eligibility left! He appears to be a walk-on and never even publicly announced his commitment to BYU—he literally just showed up on one of the rosters the team released in June. It's doubtful that he will make much of a splash this year even with Masen Wake's tragic medical retirement from football, as the TE room is still too crowded ahead of him. However, he might have an opportunity next year as a depth piece.
Paul Maile, OL
As if the transfer portal wasn't exciting enough for the O-line already with the likes of Etienne, Lapuaho, Eichorn, and Fitzgerald joining the Cougars, this might just be the pièce de résistance. Paul Maile is a veteran presence at the center position, having started 12 games at Utah in 2022. An East High product who joins the Cougars with one year of eligibility remaining, Maile brings a wealth of experience, a high football IQ, and tremendous leadership ability to the offense. The word is officially out, folks—with Brady Christensen and Blake Freeland having been developed from projects into NFL draft picks, Darrell Funk clearly has a great thing going with the O-line and really good players are starting to take notice. Not every position group on this BYU team is P5-ready just yet, but the offensive line is as good right now as any in the Big XII. It's truly been an incredible offseason for Coach Funk, who has managed to poach arguably the best offensive linemen from both Utah and Utah State and a 13-game starter from Oklahoma State to boot.
Keelan Marion, WR
Wide receiver depth has been a major priority for the BYU coaching staff in the transfer portal this offseason. Signing Darius Lassiter and convincing Kody Epps to withdraw from the portal were both huge wins, and now the Cougars can chalk up another one. Keelan Marion was UConn's leading receiver in 2021 as a true freshman before missing nearly the entirety of the 2022 season with a broken collarbone. Upon entering the portal, he received a number of G5 offers and eventually chose East Carolina. However, last week, he decommitted from the Pirates and announced that he would be taking an official visit to BYU. One day later, he announced his commitment to the Cougars. Marion was a bit of an under-the-radar prospect, but he adds talent and depth to a WR room in desperate need of both. And better yet, he has three years of eligibility left, which means he has the potential to be a great developmental piece going forward under Fesi Sitake's skilled tutelage.
Sione Moa, LB
A three-star recruit from the class of 2019, Sione Moa committed to Utah State, served a mission, and redshirted the 2021 season before becoming a rotation linebacker off the bench for the Aggies in 2022. He announced his decision to transfer way back in December, but never publicly acknowledged any offers before quietly enrolling at BYU for the Summer 2023 term. The Cougars formally announced that he had joined the football team on July 13—most likely as a walk-on, though that isn't known yet with certainty. The name Moa should ring a bell—Sione's younger brother, Aisea, was a four-star BYU recruit in the 2022 class who redshirted the 2022 season for the Cougars. Aisea is arguably the most prominent recent defensive recruit the Cougars have signed out of high school in several years, and while Sione doesn't have the same hype around him as his brother, I doubt the BYU coaching staff will complain about having another Moa on the roster. Sione might find it difficult to get playing time with as talented as the Cougars' LB room is right now, but he's at least a solid depth piece.
Aidan Robbins, RB
There are several incoming transfers on this list that BYU fans should be really excited about, but perhaps none has generated as much national attention as Aidan Robbins. A thousand-yard rusher at UNLV in 2022 who originally played three seasons at Louisville, Robbins was the second-ranked RB in the portal and generated quite a bit of buzz. Interestingly, though, he never publicly acknowledged receiving any offers after entering the portal and quickly committed to BYU. Like Lapuaho, Maile, and Etienne, it seems like Robbins already had his mind made up to come to BYU when he entered the portal. With two years of eligibility left, Robbins will look to build on the success of great BYU RB's like Tyler Allgeier and Jamaal Williams. As a side note, Robbins committed to Louisville out of high school very early in the recruiting process, and BYU actually offered him later on in an effort to flip him. Robbins even took an official visit to Provo with his family, but at the time, decided to stay with his original choice.
Nuuletau Sellesin, EDGE
Sellesin is a bit of a steal for the Cougars. One of Weber State's best D-linemen as a sophomore in 2022, he decided to follow his head coach and will come to BYU as a PWO. With no other P5 offers, Sellesin seems to have really flown under the radar this offseason. I think he has the potential to be really good, and with three years of eligibility left, he has plenty of time to develop under Jay Hill and Sione Po'uha.
Kedon Slovis, QB
Ah, Kedon Slovis. Where to begin? Slovis's connections with BYU go back quite a long way. As a highly-touted freshman QB at USC in 2019, Slovis's first career road start was in LaVell Edwards Stadium, where he and his 24th-ranked Trojans fell to BYU in OT. After a couple injury-marred years at USC and one underwhelming season in a struggling Pitt program, Slovis has come full circle and transferred to BYU for his last year of eligibility. Considering that Aaron Roderick's last two full-time starting QB's have been developed into NFL draft picks, it seems Slovis decided BYU was his best shot at the next level. A big, strong, prototypical pro-style QB with a great arm, Slovis has suffered from a combination of injuries and bad offensive schemes throughout his college career. Assuming he can stay healthy, he has the potential to truly be BYU's next great quarterback. He's replacing a legend in Jaren Hall, but has all the physical gifts to fill Hall's shoes. As an interesting tidbit, Slovis will be the first non-Latter-Day-Saint to start at QB full-time for the Cougars since Kevin Feterik.
Deion Smith, RB
BYU has officially joined the Coach Prime sweepstakes, becoming one of the many teams that are scooping up outgoing players from new Colorado HC Deion Sanders' roster purge. And in this case, the Cougars have scored big. Deion Smith was Colorado's leading rusher in 2022 and was productive as a change-of-pace back in 2021 as well. Smith brings valuable experience to the offense as a sixth-year senior in his final year of eligibility. He joins a strong RB group that already included high-profile UNLV transfer Aidan Robbins, returning contributors Miles Davis and Hinckley Ropati, and exciting incoming freshman LJ Martin. All in all, RB coach Harvey Unga has a lot of talent to work with as the Cougars make the transition to the Big XII.
Harrison Taggart, LB
BYU has landed some big transfer portal wins this offseason—Kedon Slovis, Aidan Robbins, Caleb Etienne, Eddie Heckard, and others—but this one might just top them all. A four-star recruit out of Corner Canyon High School, Taggart was consistently ranked one of the top five 2022 prospects from Utah. He received offers from a laundry list of Power 5 programs, including USC, UCLA, Utah, Arizona, Louisville, and Vanderbilt, before eventually settling on Oregon. Strangely, though, BYU's defensive coaching staff never offered him at the time—a stinging indictment of their recruiting strategy, but also, unfortunately, not surprising. Regardless, Taggart redshirted the 2022 season—playing a handful of snaps through three games—before announcing in April that he was entering the transfer portal. BYU's new defensive staff immediately expressed interest, and the rumor mill seemed to suggest the feeling was pretty well mutual. But despite only ever publicly acknowledging BYU's offer, Taggart still delayed announcing his commitment until June 3. While the wait was torturous for Cougar fans, it was all worth it to land one of the most exciting defensive prospects left in the portal. Taggart joins a gifted group of linebackers which, in addition to having already added AJ Vongphachahn from the portal (see below), also includes Ben Bywater and Max Tooley—arguably the two best defensive players on the team in 2022. The Cougars' linebackers should be one of their major strengths in 2023.
AJ Vongphachanh, LB
Vongphachanh is another player on this list who should have BYU fans really, really excited. As a redshirt junior in 2022, he led Utah State in tackles and was an important leader on the defense. A highly-coveted transfer, Vongphachanh chose BYU over the likes of South Carolina, Washington State, and Minnesota. He has one year of eligibility remaining and should provide immediate impact both on the field, where he will be one of the Cougars' top defensive talents, and in the locker room, where he will be an invaluable veteran presence. In other words, expect Vongphachanh to be a star.
Crew Wakley, S
Like AJ Vongphachanh, Wakley comes to BYU from rival Utah State. After appearing in four games during his redshirt freshman season in 2021, Wakley didn't see the field in 2022. He is a bit of a project and joins the team as a PWO, but this BYU staff has a track record of developing young safeties and Wakley could prove an interesting player to watch in the next couple years.