On paper, BYU 's receiving corps for the 2025 football season appears somewhat mediocre.
Sure, the Cougars ' leading receiver from the 2024 season, redshirt senior Chase Roberts, is back and had 52 catches for 854 yards and four touchdowns last year. He would be a top receiver on almost any team in the country.
After that, however, the cupboard looks a bit bare. Second-leading receiver Darius Lassiter (45 catches, 703 yards) and third-leading receiver Keelan Marion (24 catches, 346 yards) have moved on, Lassiter because he was out of eligibility and Marion because BYU was not willing to match what he is now making at Miami.
Try telling BYU receivers coach Fesi Sitake that this group isn't up to snuff. He isn't buying it.
Parker Kingston (13 catches, 196 yards) and JoJo Phillips (10 catches, 211 yards) are also back, and Lassiter and Marion have seemingly been replaced by a couple of transfers, Stanford 's Tiger Bachmeier and Reggie Frischknecht of Snow College.
Sophomore Cody Hagen and redshirt freshmen Tei Nacua and Dominique McKenzie are also in the mix to see the ball thrown their way.
"This is my eighth season here. This will be the deepest quality of depth we have ever had (at receiver)," Sitake said. "I know that when you look on paper there is not eye-popping returning production. But just the quality of play, the skillset, the maturity, everything (is better). I am super excited for the group."
Roberts earned All-Big 12 third-team honors from Phil Steele and the College Football Network after the 2024 season. He's making a lot of preseason All-Big 12 lists this summer as well.
"Chase is the obvious the alpha in terms of coming back. JoJo and Parker, I feel this fall is their payday. They are patient. They have been on the right trajectory. I think they are due for huge seasons as long as they stay healthy," Sitake said.
Kingston was recently named to the Athlon Sports Preseason All-America fourth team — as a punt returner.
"I look forward to that (increased) role as a receiver, because Keelan and Darius are gone," Kingston said. "I am going to step into that role and become a bigger receiver, for sure. … I got some goals at punt return, so we will see if I can get those."
What are those goals?
"At least four punt returns, slash, kick returns (for touchdowns)," Kingston said. "So hopefully I can get a lot of touchdowns, get a lot of yards, and set up the offense for great success."
Sitake said the transfers, Bachmeier and Frischknecht, "both bring something really unique to our room" that will offset the losses.
"Then you have some of these younger guys who have a lot of skill, who keep working their way in," Sitake said. "I am excited about our depth."
True freshman LaMason Waller III, from Hesperia, California, has been in Provo since January and is also a young guy to watch, Sitake said, adding that Hagen is "100 percent and ready to go" after sustaining an injury last season that caused him to miss spring camp.
"We gotta find ways to get those young guys on the field," Sitake said.
The aforementioned Bachmeier, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound graduate transfer , caught 46 passes for 476 yards and two TDs in his 24-game career at Stanford. He started in 13 of those games. And he could be catching passes from his brother, Bear Bachmeier , a candidate to replace Jake Retzlaff as BYU's starting QB in 2025, along with McCae Hillstead and Treyson Bourguet .
"Tiger is awesome. We have only had a couple (player-run-practices), but from what I have seen, he is a great route runner. He's got sure hands," Kingston said at the BYU Football Media Golf Classic. "Him and Bear are really funny. They got a different type of humor, but it is awesome. They are great guys."
Sitake said Tiger Bachmeier "strives for perfection" and is quickly picking up the playbook, which isn't a surprise considering he graduated from Stanford in computer science in 2.5 years.
"He loves football. He loves his craft. Him and Reggie have picked up the playbook as fast as anyone as I have been around in my career," Sitake said. "That just speaks a lot to them and how much they love the game, how smart they are. I am super excited for Tiger and I think he is going to be someone who is definitely going to have an impact. He is a great addition."
BYU receiver Reggie Frischknecht poses with members of his family during his official recruiting visit to BYU. | BYU Photo
