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Ranking the Top Players on BYU's 2026 Football Roster
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- Ranking the Top Players on BYU's 2026 Football Roster
BYU RB LJ Martin against Arizona | BYU Photo
As college football fans, we love rankings. The media has rankings, the coaches have rankings, and the computers have rankings. It's really only fair that we rank players too. There is no shortage of talent on the 2026 BYU football roster, making the task of ranking each player individually equal parts difficult and thrilling. As we went through our list, it became clear why expectations for the 2026 season are so high.
Every player on this list would have a legitimate argument to be a top one or two player on most teams in BYU history while all 10 have a legitimate shot to play in the NFL when their time at BYU is done. This is a rare time to be a BYU fan. Enjoy it while you have it. Here are the 10 best players, as we see it, on the 2026 BYU football roster.
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10. Walker Lyons - OR - Roger Saleapaga
BYU tight end Walker Lyons at Spring Camp | BYU Photo
In the spirit of BYU's official depth chart release, we are listing the two BYU transfer tight ends together. Offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick called the tandem "two of the best players on our team" and we tend to agree. As a former four-star recruit, Saleapaga chose Oregon out of high school over the likes of Alabama , Miami, Oklahoma, and Tennessee . While he clearly pops off the screen as a receiver, he found a role in a loaded Oregon tight end room primarily as a run blocker last season, playing the third most snaps behind two bona fide NFL talents.
Lyons was also a high-level, four-star prospect who chose USC over offers from the likes of Georgia, LSU , and Texas . Lyons carved out a more productive role as a receiver, catching 20 passes for 223 yards and 2 touchdowns. Both players are athletic freaks with a combination of speed and athleticism that are uncommon for players of their size. With only one ball to share, Bear Bachmeier choosing between the two will be difficult, but luckily, we don't have to.
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9. Nusi Taumoepeau
BYU defensive end Nusi Taumoepeau against TCU | BYU Photo
We are calling it here first: Nusi Taumoepeau will finish his career as the best hybrid pass rusher BYU has had since Kyle Van Noy . The only thing keeping him lower on this list is reps. The true sophomore played sparingly early in his freshman season as he recovered from a lower leg injury, but BYU fans became familiar with him in a hurry. Nusi produced the highest pressure rate in the country among edge rushers with at least 50 attempts. In his only game with more than 15 snaps played (Pop-Tarts Bowl), he led the team in tackles, pressures, forced fumbles, and tackles for loss. If Taumoepeau can stay on the field, opposing offenses will be kept off it.
8. Keanu Tanuvasa
BYU defensive Keanu Tanuvasa gets a sack against Stanford | BYU Photo
Tanuvasa quietly had a solid year last season, ranking 3rd in the Big 12 in pressures among defensive tackles, but more is expected of him in 2026. The senior is a preseason first-team All-Big 12 pick this season, and received a late-round draft grade from an NFL scout earlier this month. Now with a healthy Justin Kirkland by his side, and a slew of talented defensive ends, Tanuvasa is poised to take a sizable step forward into the player fans thought he would be coming from Utah.
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7. Isaiah Glasker
BYU linebacker Isaiah Glasker against East Carolina | BYU Photo
Isaiah Glasker is one of the great BYU development stories in recent memory. The low three-star had zero competing FBS offers out of high school and was originally recruited to play safety at BYU in the class of 2021. Fast-forward five years, and the redshirt senior has grown into one of the best do-it-all linebackers in the Big 12. Glasker was the Big 12's fifth-highest graded linebacker according to PFF when he led the league in interceptions and finished fifth in sacks. 2025 was an up-and-down year as he dealt with injuries, but he was still highly productive, finishing seventh in sacks, third in interceptions, and sixth in total pressures. Glasker has the prototypical size and speed that NFL scouts drool over, and he has a real chance to be BYU's next great NFL linebacker with a healthy season in 2026.
6. Bear Bachmeier
BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier in the Pop-Tarts Bowl against Georgia Tech | BYU Photo
It might be controversial that a top-20 quarterback in college football is only the sixth-best player on his own team, but that speaks to the talent on this roster. Bachmeier was so good last season that we entered the year comparing him to other true freshmen and closed the season comparing him to the nation as a whole. Bachmeier finished 20th in QBR, primarily due to his efficiency as a passer and clutch contributions as a runner. Only 10 other quarterbacks produced 3,600 total yards, 26 total touchdowns, fewer than eight interceptions, and completed at least 64% of their passes last season. Only four BYU quarterbacks have ever done that. With a full offseason of work and a deeper stable of pass-catchers than he had a year ago, BYU fans should expect a sizable step forward from Bachmeier in his encore season.
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5. Cade Uluave
Uluave was the number one linebacker in the transfer portal for a reason. The senior linebacker was first-team All-ACC at Cal last season after finishing with 97 total tackles, 3 sacks, and the best pressure rate among linebackers in all of college football. Uluave's 90.2 pass rush grade per PFF ranked 4th nationally last season, and will participate in a much more aggressive scheme than what he played in at Cal. Uluave is equal parts fast, disciplined, and violent. Cut on his highlight tape and it should be obvious why BYU named him as a team captain in his first year with the program.
4. Bruce Mitchell
BYU center Bruce Mitchell at Fall Camp | BYU Photo
Bruce Mitchell is one of the reasons people fall in love with college football. The former two-star recruit came to BYU has a walk-on defensive tackle, but was plugged in to start for the injured Connor Pay against Utah in 2024 and has since become a top five center in college football according to Sports Illustrated. Mitchell was graded as the 11th best center in the Power Four last season after allowing just 9 pressures in 472 total pass blocking snaps. Mitchell was also PFF's fifth highest graded run blocker in the Power Four and will be a key reason why expectations have never been higher for BYU's rushing attack.
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3. Evan Johnson
BYU cornerback Evan Johnson's game-sealing interception against Georgia Tech | BYU Photo
I'm not sure the last time BYU had a top-10 cornerback on its roster, but it's rare enough that it should unequivocally earn you a spot as one of the three best players at BYU. Johnson was the fifth-highest graded corner in the country in man coverage last season per PFF, allowing a passer rating of 36.1 when targeted. For context, spiking the ball on every play would earn a passer rating of 39.0. Johnson is like a Tide To Go pen for an opponent's best receiver: apply to the impacted area and watch it disappear. Johnson will be the rare player on this list who will prove his ranking by hearing his name called less. After finishing second in the P4 in interceptions, 19th in pass breakups, and 10th in completion percentage allowed, quarterbacks would be wise to simply look the other way.
2. Faletau Satuala
BYU safety Faletau Satuala against East Carolina | BYU Photo
Faletau Satuala is probably the best NFL prospect BYU has had on defense in the Kalani Sitake era and a top-10 player at his position in the country. The former four-star recruit ranked as the seventh-best returning safety in the country per PFF and the third-highest-rated strong safety in the College Football 26 video game. His size makes him a problem at all levels of the defense, finishing top-20 among eligible P4 safeties in pressure rate (third), stops (15th), tackles (15th), coverage grade (13th), and missed tackle rate (14th). Satuala is a new defensive coordinator's dream as he transcends scheme. Just turn him loose and let havoc ensue. At his current trajectory, he will put up one of the great single seasons by a defender in BYU history.
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1. LJ Martin
BYU Running Back LJ Martin against Stanford | BYU Photo
This should come as no surprise, but LJ Martin's body of work makes him a no-brainer in this spot. Martin is an early favorite to be a Doak Walker finalist this season after ranking fifth nationally in rushing yards, third nationally in yards after contact, third nationally in explosive runs, sixth in receiving yards, and second nationally in first downs gained. The only downside to his 2025 campaign was that he finished 10th nationally in rushing touchdowns with 12 because his bowling-ball of a quarterback had 11. If Martin can simply replicate his unbelievable 2025 season in 2026, only the NFL will be good enough for his remarkable talent.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/byu as Ranking the Top Players on BYU's 2026 Football Roster .
