Four names to circle before kickoff. Some you know, some you’ll want to know before September.

Bear Bachmeier

This may be a surprise to some, but Bear has to be the top candidate for a breakout season. His freshman campaign was an incredible ride, but statistically he left a lot to be desired — specifically in the TD:INT ratio.

Bear threw 7 interceptions last year, which was 46th in the nation, and for a true freshman who arrived at the school in late June, that’s not horrible considering 3 of the 7 came against Texas Tech. Bear threw for just 15 touchdowns (71st in the country) and 3,033 yards (35th in the country). Once again, for a true freshman it’s hard to complain about his production — he is a complete star in the making.

If you need a refresher on what the Bear experience looked like in year one, the Big 12 put together his full regular-season highlight reel:

For BYU to reach its full potential in the 2026 season, Bear will need to climb into what would have been top-25 quarterback territory last season at 25 passing touchdowns. All reports out of spring ball, and from CougConnect interviews and player Discord chats, are that Bear is looking sharp, quick, and ready to take a big jump.

If Bear can hit 25+ touchdowns through the air and cross the 3,500-yard mark, it is reasonable to assume the Cougars will find themselves competing closely for a Big 12 Conference title and making a push for the College Football Playoff.

Walker Lyons / Roger Saleapaga

Combining these two into one because of what the expected usage is going to be. Coming out of spring ball, if you were to ask the opinion of this author, the starting lineup is going to be a two-wideout set with both Lyons and Saleapaga on the field.

Lyons is a willing and capable blocker who is also fluid and a great route runner. His role at USC was not what it should have been, and BYU stands to benefit. Lyons is your direct replacement for last year’s breakout star Carsen Ryan, who was drafted by the Browns in April. He is an in-line tight end who can fill a few different roles and is not afraid to put his hand in the ground. He comes in to be a focal point in the BYU offense, and his blocking and catching abilities will be heavily relied on to create mismatches with the defense.

Saleapaga is seen as more of a hybrid. If you followed along with our full CougConnect Podcast interview with Roger, you know why the hype is real — and Tre Alexander told us on the CougConnect Podcast that Roger “can be the best tight end in college football — he’s a mismatch. He’s physical as hell compared to a DB, but he’s too fast and runs too-fluid routes for a linebacker to cover him.” High praise for someone who was mainly used for blocking at Oregon.

Roger was a four-star wide receiver coming out of high school (122 catches, 1,826 yards, and 22 touchdowns at Orem High), so running routes and being a passing threat is his natural game. Converted to tight end in college, he learned to block very well at Oregon so he could see the field. Roger is fast for a tight end and runs routes that will be hard for any defense to guard.

This duo comes in as a versatile dual-threat option for BYU’s offense with a lot to prove. Both are poised to take on a major role during their first year in Provo and bring a major boost to the BYU offense.

Nusi Taumoepeau

Nusi was a coveted recruit coming out of high school and originally signed with Stanford before hitting the portal at the same time the Bachmeier brothers did.

Nusi has started his BYU career with a few injuries, including one to his Achilles, but when healthy he might be the Cougars’ best pass-rushing player off the edge. To be blunt, Nusi plays like his hair is on fire. His first step has elite speed, and he should be poised to start — if not be in the two-deep — to open the year.

In this writer’s opinion, Nusi should be credited with a few wins down the stretch of the season. In crucial moments he was subbed in to go make a play, and he delivered every single time — including the game-ending sack of Josh Hoover against TCU. He comes in with great size for a sophomore, and with his speed he is versatile in where he can line up.

Last year Nusi had just one sack, but if he can stay healthy — and now with a full year under his belt — it wouldn’t be far off to assume he could end up with 5–10 sacks this year. A future star in the making!

Tei Nacua

The Nacua name goes back a long time at BYU, and each of his brothers before him has left a mark on the BYU football program.

Tei Nacua has all the talent and physical attributes to be the player BYU needs him to be, and there are many around the program who feel this is the year Tei puts it all together and locks down a spot in the two-deep rotation.

Statistically, Tei has not done much to this point in his career, but he has been consistently highlighted this offseason and throughout spring ball by his teammates as someone who has solidified himself in the two-deep for this upcoming season. Tei brings an aggression and physicality to the receiver room that is much needed.

In high school at Timpview, he accounted for 2,100+ receiving yards and 20 touchdowns. If he can stay consistent, he will find a place on the field this coming season in a wide receiver room that desperately needs the next generation of receivers to step up.