BYU made another major splash on the recruiting trail Tuesday with the addition of five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons, who chose the Cougars over a litany of heavyweight offers from programs like Oregon, USC and Ole Miss. Lyons is the first five-star to commit to BYU since 247Sports started rating prospects in 2010 and he’s the highest-rated recruit to make his pledge to the Cougars in the modern era. Taking in all of that context, Lyons’ commitment to BYU registers a 10 out of 10 in the Commitment Impact Score.
Lyons explained his decision on the “Pat McAfee Show.”
“They were the first ones (to offer me a scholarship) in eighth grade,” Lyons said. “They pulled the trigger on me. They believed in me early and it’s just crazy how it all comes full circle.”
A product of Folsom, California, Lyons took two unofficial visits to BYU during the 2024 season and officially visited the Cougars the weekend of June 19. Lyons, the No. 13 prospect nationally and No. 4 quarterback, was the highest-rated uncommitted quarterback left in the 2026 class prior to his announcement.
The 6-foot-2.5 and 220-pound Lyons earned 2024 California Gatorade Player of the Year honors after leading Folsom to an 11-2 record as a starter while throwing for 3,011 yards and 46 touchdowns to just six interceptions. He also rushed 118 times for 585 yards and 14 touchdowns.
It may not take long for Lyons to have an impact on BYU’s football team when he arrives on campus, according to 247Sports’ evaluation:
A pure thrower with a live arm and understands how to change speeds and throw with anticipation. Accurate to all three levels of the field and throws the deep ball with touch and can rip fastballs in to tight windows. Equally dangerous when a play breaks down and has to improvise off-script. Elite in his ability to make multiple defenders miss and is creative in how he can buy time and make a throw down the field or take off and run for plus yards. He’s a tough kid who doesn’t shy away from contact and will take a shot but hang in the pocket to deliver the football. A highly competitive player with a strong off the field work ethic and draws raves from his coaches and teammates for his leadership skill. Has one of the highest ceilings among the quarterback group in his class and assuming he continues to develop, should be playing on Sunday’s for a very long time.
BYU amassing impressive 2026 haul
With Lyons in the fold, BYU’s 2026 recruiting class jumped from No. 46 to No. 38 in the 247Sports Team Composite Recruiting Rankings. With 14 commits already in the fold, the Cougars are on track to have their best high school signing haul since coach Kalani Sitake took over in 2016.
BYU now has three top-100 prospects committed, more than any other year in modern recruiting history. Lyons is joined by a pair of major in-state recruiting wins in tight end Brock Harris (St. George, Utah) and offensive lineman Bott Mulitalo (American Fork), who both committed in April.
Harris, the No. 67 prospect nationally and No. 5 tight end, chose BYU over the likes of Michigan, Georgia and Alabama while Mulitalo (No. 92 nationally) would be the first top-100 offensive lineman to sign with BYU in the Sitake era. Harris and Mulitalo also rank as the No. 2 and No. 3 prospects in the state of Utah, respectively.
Cougars thriving in NIL era
Lyons isn’t the first high-profile recruiting battle that BYU has won in recent months. The Cougars are firing on all cylinders in almost every major sport.
In December, BYU’s men’s basketball team beat a litany of blue-chip programs to sign AJ Dybantsa, the No. 2 prospect nationally in 2025. Shortly after Dybantsa’s decision, Royal Blue NIL — BYU’s NIL collective — released a statement lauding the efforts of BYU’s alumni base.
Court Report: The details on why AJ Dybantsa chose BYU and how much NIL money the No. 1 recruit is set to make
Matt Norlander
“As the official NIL collective of BYU Athletics, we are glad to play a role in AJ’s NIL deal while he’s with the program,” the statement read. “The collective’s efforts are indeed collective. We are thankful for the 875 donors from more than 30 different states who have provided support to more than 300 BYU student-athletes across 13 teams. The collective has received major gifts from 32 alumni. We are grateful for the unprecedented ecosystem of BYU. The entrepreneurial DNA of Cougar Nation is unrivaled.”
Ryan Smith, a co-founder of Qualitrics and the owner of the NBA’s Utah Jazz, has been involved with his alma mater, though he stated on social media that he had no direct hand in landing Dybantsa and instead credited Cougars coach Kevin Young and the program he’s built. Young’s 2024-25 BYU team later made a run to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament.
Regardless of who’s buying in, it’s clear that BYU has adapted well to the constantly shifting college athletics landscape.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
LSU Upsets Clemson in Battle of Death Valley
Garrett Nussmeier threw a go-ahead 8-yard touchdown pass to Trey’Dez Green in the fourth quarter, and No. 9 LSU rallied past fourth-ranked Clemson 17-10 on Saturday night for its first season-opening win since 2019, when Joe Burrow led the Tigers to an undefeated season and a national championship.Nussmeier, who eclipsed 4,000 yards passing in his first year as a starter in 2024 after biding his time behind Jayden Daniels, got better as game went on, throwing for 134 of his 230 yards in the second half while leading two touchdown drives.Caden Durham rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown for LSU.LSU, retooled with a highly touted class of transfers, showed the mental and physical toughness that coach Brian Kelly was seeking after trailing 10-3 at the half.LSU's stifling defense limited first-team preseason Associated Press All-America quarterback Cade Klubnik to 19-of-38 […]
Michigan Beats New Mexico in QB Bryce Underwood’s Debut
Justice Haynes ran for 159 yards and three touchdowns and Bryce Underwood threw a touchdown pass, leading No. 14 Michigan to a season-opening 34-17 win over New Mexico on Saturday night.The Wolverines built an early cushion after Haynes scored on 56- and 5-yard touchdown runs in the first quarter. The transfer from Alabama had a 59-yard run that set up his 1-yard score to give Michigan a 17-point lead early in the fourth.Underwood, the fourth freshman to start at quarterback in program history, was 21 of 31 for 251 yards with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Marlin Kelin late in the first half to restore a two-touchdown lead.The Lobos converted a fourth down and scored a touchdown on a trick play, sending a direct snap to running back D.J. McKinney to set up a 9-yard touchdown pass to Dorian Thomas. […]
No. 9 LSU gets first Week 1 win since 2019 with 17-10 win over No. 4 Clemson
LSU has avoided a sixth-straight 0-1 start.The No. 9 Tigers beat No. 4 Clemson 17-10 in Clemson on Saturday night as the Tigers finally won a season-opener for the first time since they went 15-0 on the way to the national title in 2019.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementLSU’s defense shined as the Tigers from Baton Rouge scored 14 straight points in the second half. After Caden Durham tied the game with a two-yard TD run in the third quarter, LSU took its first lead of the game with 12:18 to go when Garrett Nussmeier hit Trey’Dez Green for an eight-yard TD.Clemson got the ball for its final possession with just under two minutes to go and a timeout in hand. The Tigers advanced all the way to LSU’s 15 yard-line but Cade Klubnik was fired from the pocket and his rushed pass fell incomplete […]
Jeremy Lin announces retirement, more than a decade after ‘Linsanity’ captivated the NBA
Jeremy Lin held the NBA's full attention for only a couple months, but his professional basketball career lasted for so much longer. That career officially ended on Saturday.The former New York Knicks guard announced his retirement on Instagram after nine years in the NBA and six more years playing overseas.Lin's full statement:As athletes, we are always aware that the possibility of retirement is never far away. I’ve spent my 15 year career knowing that one day I would have to walk away, and yet actually saying goodbye to basketball today has been the hardest decision I’ve ever made.It's been the honor of a lifetime to compete against the fiercest competitors under the brightest lights and to challenge what the world thought was possible for someone who looks like me. I've lived out my wildest childhood dreams to play in front […]
Matheus Pereira faz golaço de falta e Cruzeiro vence São Paulo por 1 a 0 no Brasileirão
Matheus Pereira cobra falta com perfeição e decide para o Cruzeiro. (Foto: Gustavo Aleixo/Cruzeiro)Na noite deste sábado (30), o Cruzeiro venceu o São Paulo por 1 a 0, no Mineirão, pela 22ª rodada do Brasileirão. O gol solitário de Matheus Pereira, de falta, a Raposa engata sequência de quatro partidas sem perder na temporada. Enquanto isso, o Tricolor põe fim a cinco jogos sem perder e encerra boa fase por hora. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADECom a vitória, o Cruzeiro vai a 44 pontos e fica na 2ª colocação, apenas dois pontos abaixo do Flamengo. Assim, eles secam o time carioca, que joga neste domingo (31), contra o Grêmio. Já o São Paulo estaciona na 7ª posição, com 32 pontos, e perde chance de entrar no G6 nesta temporada.1º tempo marcado por brigas e leve domínio do São PauloO São Paulo começou muito […]
Antonio Williams injury: Clemson wide receiver exits LSU game with apparent hamstring injury
Imagn Images Clemson wide receiver Antonio Williams left the Tigers' Week 1 game against No. 9 LSU with an apparent right hamstring injury, according to the ABC broadcast. Broadcast cameras caught Williams leaving the field for the locker room midway through the first quarter.Williams initially entered Clemson's medical tent on the sideline before walking to the locker room under his own power alongside a team trainer. Williams remained in the locker room for the rest of the half before emerging ahead of the third quarter wearing a heavy sleeve on his right leg. He warmed up for second half and was on the bike staying loose on the sideline as the fourth-ranked Tigers began the third quarter on offense.Without Williams, Clemson went into halftime with a 10-3 lead. It's unclear if he'll return to the field in the second half. Williams […]
Related
LSU Upsets Clemson in Battle of Death Valley
Garrett Nussmeier threw a go-ahead 8-yard touchdown pass to Trey’Dez Green in the fourth quarter, and No. 9 LSU rallied past fourth-ranked Clemson 17-10 on Saturday night for its first season-opening win since 2019, when Joe Burrow led the Tigers to an undefeated season and a national championship.Nussmeier, who eclipsed 4,000 yards passing in his first year as a starter in 2024 after biding his time behind Jayden Daniels, got better as game went on, throwing for 134 of his 230 yards in the second half while leading two touchdown drives.Caden Durham rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown for LSU.LSU, retooled with a highly touted class of transfers, showed the mental and physical toughness that coach Brian Kelly was seeking after trailing 10-3 at the half.LSU's stifling defense limited first-team preseason Associated Press All-America quarterback Cade Klubnik to 19-of-38 […]
Michigan Beats New Mexico in QB Bryce Underwood’s Debut
Justice Haynes ran for 159 yards and three touchdowns and Bryce Underwood threw a touchdown pass, leading No. 14 Michigan to a season-opening 34-17 win over New Mexico on Saturday night.The Wolverines built an early cushion after Haynes scored on 56- and 5-yard touchdown runs in the first quarter. The transfer from Alabama had a 59-yard run that set up his 1-yard score to give Michigan a 17-point lead early in the fourth.Underwood, the fourth freshman to start at quarterback in program history, was 21 of 31 for 251 yards with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Marlin Kelin late in the first half to restore a two-touchdown lead.The Lobos converted a fourth down and scored a touchdown on a trick play, sending a direct snap to running back D.J. McKinney to set up a 9-yard touchdown pass to Dorian Thomas. […]
No. 9 LSU gets first Week 1 win since 2019 with 17-10 win over No. 4 Clemson
LSU has avoided a sixth-straight 0-1 start.The No. 9 Tigers beat No. 4 Clemson 17-10 in Clemson on Saturday night as the Tigers finally won a season-opener for the first time since they went 15-0 on the way to the national title in 2019.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementLSU’s defense shined as the Tigers from Baton Rouge scored 14 straight points in the second half. After Caden Durham tied the game with a two-yard TD run in the third quarter, LSU took its first lead of the game with 12:18 to go when Garrett Nussmeier hit Trey’Dez Green for an eight-yard TD.Clemson got the ball for its final possession with just under two minutes to go and a timeout in hand. The Tigers advanced all the way to LSU’s 15 yard-line but Cade Klubnik was fired from the pocket and his rushed pass fell incomplete […]
Jeremy Lin announces retirement, more than a decade after ‘Linsanity’ captivated the NBA
Jeremy Lin held the NBA's full attention for only a couple months, but his professional basketball career lasted for so much longer. That career officially ended on Saturday.The former New York Knicks guard announced his retirement on Instagram after nine years in the NBA and six more years playing overseas.Lin's full statement:As athletes, we are always aware that the possibility of retirement is never far away. I’ve spent my 15 year career knowing that one day I would have to walk away, and yet actually saying goodbye to basketball today has been the hardest decision I’ve ever made.It's been the honor of a lifetime to compete against the fiercest competitors under the brightest lights and to challenge what the world thought was possible for someone who looks like me. I've lived out my wildest childhood dreams to play in front […]
Matheus Pereira faz golaço de falta e Cruzeiro vence São Paulo por 1 a 0 no Brasileirão
Matheus Pereira cobra falta com perfeição e decide para o Cruzeiro. (Foto: Gustavo Aleixo/Cruzeiro)Na noite deste sábado (30), o Cruzeiro venceu o São Paulo por 1 a 0, no Mineirão, pela 22ª rodada do Brasileirão. O gol solitário de Matheus Pereira, de falta, a Raposa engata sequência de quatro partidas sem perder na temporada. Enquanto isso, o Tricolor põe fim a cinco jogos sem perder e encerra boa fase por hora. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADECom a vitória, o Cruzeiro vai a 44 pontos e fica na 2ª colocação, apenas dois pontos abaixo do Flamengo. Assim, eles secam o time carioca, que joga neste domingo (31), contra o Grêmio. Já o São Paulo estaciona na 7ª posição, com 32 pontos, e perde chance de entrar no G6 nesta temporada.1º tempo marcado por brigas e leve domínio do São PauloO São Paulo começou muito […]
Antonio Williams injury: Clemson wide receiver exits LSU game with apparent hamstring injury
Imagn Images Clemson wide receiver Antonio Williams left the Tigers' Week 1 game against No. 9 LSU with an apparent right hamstring injury, according to the ABC broadcast. Broadcast cameras caught Williams leaving the field for the locker room midway through the first quarter.Williams initially entered Clemson's medical tent on the sideline before walking to the locker room under his own power alongside a team trainer. Williams remained in the locker room for the rest of the half before emerging ahead of the third quarter wearing a heavy sleeve on his right leg. He warmed up for second half and was on the bike staying loose on the sideline as the fourth-ranked Tigers began the third quarter on offense.Without Williams, Clemson went into halftime with a 10-3 lead. It's unclear if he'll return to the field in the second half. Williams […]
Be the first to leave a comment