Originally published May 21, 2021.
The 2021 NFL Draft is behind us. With five BYU players selected in the draft and eight more signing either free agent or rookie minicamp contracts, there are now 26 former BYU players tied to NFL rosters, practice squads, and minicamps. How many of these will be in the league after final roster cuts remains to be seen, but for now, let’s celebrate the achievements of these former Cougar standouts who now have a chance at fulfilling their NFL dreams. This list will be in alphabetical order rather than any kind of ranking or prioritization, and will not include players such as Dallin Leavitt or Francis Bernard who played at BYU but finished their college careers at other programs.
Zach Wilson, QB, New York Jets: After his spectacular breakout performance in 2020, Zach Wilson became the highest-ever BYU draft pick when the Jets took him second overall in the 2021 Draft. Wilson is expected to start immediately for the Jets, who traded 2020 starter Sam Darnold to the Panthers to make room for an offensive reset. Of all the former BYU players who now have NFL contracts, Wilson has by far the most to lose. He’s been handed the keys to a franchise with impatient fans and a tradition of losing, and the expectation is that he can turn the team around. That’s a lot to ask of a 21-year-old rookie, but Wilson has embraced pressure throughout his career and has the personality and work ethic he needs to succeed in New York.
Brady Christensen, OL, Carolina Panthers: Of all of BYU’s 2021 draftees and UDFA’s not named Zach Wilson, Brady Christensen probably has the best shot of making an active roster for the 2021 season. The Panthers drafted Christensen 70th overall in the hope that he could boost the all-important but alarmingly depth-poor left side of their offensive line. The only other left tackle on the roster right now is Greg Little, a two-year veteran who has struggled with injuries nonstop since being drafted in 2018. Christensen is healthy and talented, and he might just have what it takes to supplant Little immediately and start right away as a rookie.
Dax Milne, WR, Washington Football Team: Dax Milne got a lot of attention as the tall, precise route-runner who caught some of Zach Wilson’s most memorable passes during the 2020 season. While the former BYU walk-on is not especially athletic, he is surehanded and has the potential to be a reliable if unspectacular receiving option in the NFL. That might be exactly what offense-starved Washington was looking for when they drafted him in the seventh round this year.
Khyiris Tonga, DL, Chicago Bears: Of the three BYU players drafted in the seventh round in 2021, Khyiris Tonga has perhaps the best shot at making an active roster simply by default–he’s one of only two nose guards currently listed on the Bears’ depth chart. If that holds, Tonga is guaranteed a roster spot. He’s not the prototypical quick, fundamentally sound pass rusher that has become the vogue at nose guard in the modern NFL, but his size and athleticism mean he is likely to succeed as a role player in the run stuffing game.
Chris Wilcox, CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Wilcox was not on a lot of teams’ draft radar until BYU’s 2021 pro day, where he put up absolutely blistering numbers that included an impressive 4.31 in the 40-yard dash. Ultimately, that pro day performance convinced Tampa Bay to take Wilcox in the seventh round of the 2021 Draft. Whether or not he makes an active roster is dependent on how highly the Bucs or another team prioritize his raw athleticism.
Zayne Anderson, S, Kansas City Chiefs: It seemed like Zayne Anderson’s BYU career went on forever, as it was repeatedly interrupted by injuries. A freak athlete who seemed unable to stay on the field at times, Anderson was always going to have enough injury concerns to make the likelihood of his being drafted essentially zero. Fortunately for him, the Kansas City Chiefs are coached by Andy Reid, who happens to be the NFL’s connoisseur of undrafted BYU safeties. That fact landed Anderson a spot with the Chiefs, but also put him in a difficult position as he will be competing with Tyrann Mathieu and Dan Sorensen for playing time. The Honey Badger and Dirty Dan will probably keep Anderson from earning a 53-man roster spot right away, but don’t overlook him as a potential practice squad stash by the Chiefs.
Matt Bushman, TE, Las Vegas Raiders: When Matt Bushman announced that he would return to BYU for his senior season, a lot of fans (myself included) collectively breathed a sigh of relief. Bushman was the Cougars’ best receiver in 2019 and served as an effective safety blanket for Zach Wilson. Everything unraveled, though, when Bushman suffered a season-ending injury during fall camp. That injury erased any hope Bushman had of being drafted into the NFL, but his incredibly soft hands and flawless route running were too much for the Raiders to pass up. Las Vegas made Bushman one of the highest-paid rookie undrafted free agents in NFL history, and he certainly has the potential to work his way onto an active roster.
Zac Dawe, DL, Atlanta Falcons: If you thought Michael Davis had an up-and-down BYU career, take a look at Zac Dawe! Originally given a scholarship to play offensive line for the Cougars, Dawe served a mission, got hurt upon returning, and then briefly left the team and lost his scholarship. During this difficult period, he found a job with Nu Skin as a security guard. Eventually, though, he rejoined the team and reinvented himself as one of the most potent pass rushers in recent BYU history. He and Khyiris Tonga (more on him later) formed a two-man wrecking crew that stuffed the run and disrupted the passing game with forceful efficiency. Hopefully, the determination that allowed Dawe to salvage his BYU career will translate into NFL success.
Chandon Herring, OL, Tennessee Titans: Chandon Herring benefited both from the luster of having spent three seasons protecting Zach Wilson and from the overall excellence of BYU’s offensive line in 2020. It doesn’t hurt that he’s a freak of nature, standing 6’7″ and weighing in at 310 lb. with almost no body fat. He can also run a 4.9 in the 40-meter dash. Legitimately scary stuff. Now the question is whether he can earn playing time as an undrafted rookie.
Tristen Hoge, OL, New York Jets: Tristen Hoge is yet another of the three BYU offensive linemen from 2020 who earned NFL contracts this year. In Hoge’s case, this means playing for the Jets, where he might get the opportunity to once again protect Zach Wilson. The Jets’ line was mostly awful last year, and while they have taken steps to shore up their left side, they haven’t done so for the right. This might leave the door open for Hoge to get playing time.
Isaiah Kaufusi, LB, Indianapolis Colts: Isaiah Kaufusi represents the latest in a line of exceptional Kaufusi football players to make the jump from BYU to the NFL. Big, athletic, and underratedly surehanded, Kaufusi has all the potential in the world. He also plays with gusto, and that will hopefully be enough to convince an NFL team to use a roster spot on him.
Troy Warner, CB, Los Angeles Chargers: Mainly recognizable as the brother of 49ers Pro Bowler Fred Warner, Troy certainly has potential at the next level but is also a relative unknown. He was quietly successful (if at times inconsistent) during his BYU career, and it’s not entirely clear whether that plus his name recognition will be enough to earn him a roster (or at least practice squad) spot in the NFL.
Kavika Fonua, LB, Carolina Panthers: During Fonua’s senior year at BYU, he shone as a hybrid linebacker/safety while also getting snaps (and TD catches) as a running back. Now, he has been invited to the Panthers’ rookie minicamp in June–effectively, a tryout that will determine if he eventually lands a free agent contract. Fonua is athletic and has great hands, both of which attributes will hopefully contribute to him receiving a contract.
Michael Davis, CB, Los Angeles Chargers: From losing his starting job at BYU to earning a starting job in the NFL, Michael Davis certainly has had a rollercoaster career. He’s also established himself as one of the best zone defenders in the league, and the Chargers rewarded him in March by signing him to a three-year, $25.2 million contract. In 2020, Davis recorded 63 total tackles (48 solo), three interceptions (including a pick-six), and fourteen pass breakups. His future in the NFL has never looked brighter!
Taysom Hill, QB, New Orleans Saints: Taysom Hill finally got his chance to start at quarterback in the NFL in 2020, posting a 3-1 record as a starter in relief of an injured Drew Brees. We saw both good and bad from him in those four games–he’s still the same athletic freak, but he struggled with turnovers and sometimes had a hard time generating offensive momentum. He still has one more year on his contract in New Orleans, and it will be interesting to see whether Sean Payton decides to go with him as the Saints’ starter for 2021. If so, he’d join Zach Wilson as the first BYU products named week 1 starting quarterbacks in the NFL since Steve Young in 1999.
Bronson Kaufusi, DL/TE, Green Bay Packers: Bronson Kaufusi has the size and athleticism to fit somewhere on an NFL roster, but both the Jets and Packers have struggled to figure out precisely where that is–exclusively a defensive player at BYU, Kaufusi has since been the subject of some tight end experimentation on those two teams’ practice squads. Whether or not the Packers can make a decision on his position might be the deciding factor on whether he’s able to stay in the league beyond this offseason.
Corbin Kaufusi, OL, San Francisco 49ers: After spending 2020 on the Jets’ practice squad and moving from defense to offense, Kaufusi signed a reserve/future contract with San Francisco in January. This contract gives San Francisco exclusive rights to sign him to their active roster leading up to the start of the 2021 season. So far, he hasn’t played a snap in a regular season NFL game, but that could very well change if he impresses in training camp. The Niners’ offense was unwatchable at times in 2020, and they may be looking for some help in the trenches.
Harvey Langi, LB, New England Patriots: The Patriots were high on Harvey Langi when he left BYU in 2017–high enough that they signed him to the largest rookie UDFA contract in NFL history. Tragedy struck, though, shortly after game 1 of Langi’s rookie season, when he and his wife were struck by a drunk driver in an accident that left him severely injured. He missed the rest of his rookie season and was cut by the Patriots, but he got a new lease on his career when the Jets signed him to their practice squad during the 2018 season. He worked his way on to their 53-man roster, then became a starter halfway through the 2020 season. Langi sparkled with the Jets–he was one of the few bright spots on their moribund 2020 defense. His performance was enough to get him a second look with the Patriots, who brought him back to bolster their interior defense.
Kai Nacua, S, San Francisco 49ers: Kai Nacua had a genuinely spectacular junior season at BYU, which he followed with a solid but quieter senior season before making the jump to the NFL as a UDFA with the Cleveland Browns. Nacua actually started three games at free safety for the Browns as a rookie before spending the 2018 and 2019 seasons on the practice squads of the Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, and Indianapolis Colts. Midway through the 2020 campaign, though, Nacua got a shot at an active roster spot once again as the Niners signed him for the rest of the season. He appeared in five games in 2020, and signed a one-year contract extension in February. The 2021 season will be Nacua’s chance to prove he belongs on an NFL roster.
Micah Simon, WR, Carolina Panthers: Micah Simon’s NFL career was nearly torpedoed by the COVID-19 crisis, which prevented a pro day his senior year and kept NFL teams from being able to scout him in person. Invited to return to Provo for the 2021 BYU pro day, Simon shone as he caught balls from Zach Wilson and showcased his blazing speed. It was enough to convince the Panthers to give him a UDFA contract–specifically, a three-year deal that makes his place on their 53-man roster seem secure.
Daniel Sorensen, S, Kansas City Chiefs: “Dirty Dan”, as Chiefs fans have come to affectionately call him, was undrafted out of BYU, but he worked his way into the Chiefs’ rotation thanks to his seemingly endless energy and hustle. Now starting at safety alongside Tyrann Mathieu, Sorensen looks to have his best days ahead of him as he continues developing. It seems like Andy Reid is fond of this particular fellow BYU product, and Sorensen is likely to stick around with the Chiefs for the foreseeable future.
Sione Takitaki, LB, Cleveland Browns: Sione Takitaki had an electric senior season that BYU fans could be forgiven for forgetting since it happened during the Cougars’ mediocre 2018 campaign. That shouldn’t take away from what he accomplished at BYU, though, and since being drafted by Cleveland in 2019, he’s been exceptional. Now a full-time starter, Takitaki still has two years left on his contract in Cleveland and it’s not hard to imagine the Browns wanting to keep him long-term.
Kyle Van Noy, LB, New England Patriots: After a somewhat quiet one-year stint in Miami, Kyle Van Noy has been lured back to New England to play for the Patriots team with which he won two Super Bowls. During his last run with the Pats, Van Noy established himself as an integral part of the infamous “Boogeymen” defense that terrorized opposing quarterbacks with the league’s most potent pass rush. After a season of mediocrity, perhaps Bill Belichick is hoping that Van Noy can bring some of that energy and precision back to the New England defense.
Fred Warner, LB, San Francisco 49ers: Fred Warner seems to improve every year, and he has officially reached elite status in San Francisco. There’s a case to be made that he has been the most successful BYU product in the NFL from the post-LaVell Edwards era. There’s also a case to be made that he is the best linebacker in the entire NFL right now, and he’s become a fan favorite in the Bay Area, making his first Pro Bowl appearance last year to the relief of frustrated Niners fans who thought he was snubbed in 2019. There’s not a lot more to say here–as long as Warner stays healthy, his star will just keep rising in the NFL.
Jamaal Williams, RB, Detroit Lions: Jamaal Williams may have found the key to getting the starter’s minutes he deserves–play on a team that doesn’t also have Aaron Jones. Jones and Williams actually joined the Packers the same year, and Williams was initially higher than Jones on the depth chart. Over their four seasons together, though, Jones won out as the Packers’ starter. Now, Jamaal gets a chance at a fresh start in Detroit, where (barring any major free agent deals) he is likely to be the feature back taking handoffs from Jared Goff. How that will go is anyone’s guess–the Lions are far from contention, but maybe some of Jamaal’s swag will wear off on his teammates. Goodness knows Detroit could use a little.
Ty’Son Williams, RB, Baltimore Ravens: Williams has not yet found the field in a regular season game since signing a UDFA contract with the Ravens last year. However, he still appears on their four-deep depth chart, and given his speed and agility, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him land an NFL roster spot somewhere.