Every season has its headliners, and BYU has plenty of them heading into 2026. But the seasons that turn out well usually turn on the players nobody put on a preseason list. Here is one player to watch at every position for the Cougars this fall — and where you can go deeper on each of them.
Quarterback
The easy answer at quarterback would be returning starter Bear Bachmeier, who is surely poised to be a breakout candidate for 2026 — we made that case in 4 Players Poised for a Breakout Season. But the player to watch this year has to be incoming freshman Enoch Watson. With the quarterback talent coming in over the next few seasons, it will be crucial for Watson to show he can play at this level and compete with his peers. Keep an eye on his performance in the limited reps he receives in games and in fall camp to see if he can establish himself as a solid P4 quarterback.
Watch: BYU freshman Blake Lowe knew Bear Bachmeier would be special in high school
Running Back
Sione Moa is poised to have a huge year. After injuries derailed what otherwise seemed to be a promising sophomore season, Moa is back fully healthy and ready to add to a feared running attack for the Cougars. Before his injury last year, he was averaging nearly 5.5 yards per carry and looked to be the Robin to LJ’s Batman. Before spring ball, Moa wasn’t sure how much work he would get, but he was an active participant in camp. Now, with a full offseason to rest and rehab, don’t be surprised if Moa puts up 500+ yards this season. For a player’s-eye view of how this backfield fits the offense, read Pick Your Poison: A Player’s Look at the 2026 BYU Offense.
Watch: Sione Moa on his return to the football field and his excitement for 2026
Tight End
Walker Lyons, the once heralded BYU recruit, has finally come home to Provo after several seasons at USC. At 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds, Lyons has the ideal size to step into the empty shoes of now Cleveland Browns tight end Carsen Ryan. This past season at USC, Lyons had 20 catches for 223 yards and 2 touchdowns, averaging just over 11 yards per catch — a number that should excite Cougar fans. As he takes on a more prominent role this year, look for Lyons to make an immediate impact in both the run and pass game. He is one of several new faces we broke down in Stripling Warriors Incoming.
Watch: Noah Moeaki’s TD catch and BYU football’s loaded tight end room
Wide Receiver
In a receiver room hit harder than perhaps any other position this past offseason in terms of attrition, look for JoJo Phillips to command the WR1 spot. At 6-foot-5, he has excellent size and great athleticism. Injuries prevented Phillips from contributing much last season, but in fall camp and early in the year he was Bear Bachmeier’s favorite target. This is a make-or-break season in many ways for Phillips as he enters his fourth year with the Cougars. Look for the veteran to put it all together and fill the void at receiver alongside Kyler Kasper.
Watch: Breaking down the depth of BYU’s wide receiver room going into fall camp
Offensive Line
BYU enters 2026 with one of the top offensive line groups in the entire country, and if Paki Finau can be what Aaron Roderick and TJ Woods think he can be at left tackle, look for him to make a major impact. The former four-star recruit transferred in from Washington this past offseason, where he contributed at guard early on for the Huskies. Finau slides back to tackle, which seems to be his more natural position, but the versatility he brings playing both inside and outside will be huge for the Cougars. He will need to adapt quickly as BYU looks to get off to a hot start in 2026 — the full slate is on the official BYU football schedule.
Watch: Washington transfer Paki Finau on why he chose BYU football
Defensive Tackle
Keanu Tanuvasa came to BYU with the intention of leaving after one season for the NFL Draft. Due to injuries around him and a few other factors, Tanuvasa did not have the year he originally anticipated, which has brought him back for a fifth year of college football. BYU will benefit from his leadership once again, and with a now healthy Justin Kirkland, look for Tanuvasa to thrive in his more natural role as a pass-rushing defensive tackle instead of commanding double teams every play the way Kirkland will. If Tanuvasa has the year he thinks he can, Big 12 quarterbacks should be on high alert every week. We laid out why this front is a reason for optimism in 3 Reasons to Have Blue Goggles for BYU Football in 2026.
Watch: Why the BYU football defensive line will be a FORCE this season
Edge
The former Utah commit and American Fork High School product Hunter Clegg played in most, if not every, game last season as a true freshman just months off his LDS mission. Despite his youth and inexperience, Clegg was one of the highest-rated players on the defensive side of the ball last year. Now with a full offseason and a year of experience under his belt, anticipate Clegg taking a major step forward and solidifying himself in the two-deep of a very full and talented edge rusher room — one that just added four-star commit Uhila Wolfgramm and that we sorted through in Remaining Questions Post Spring Ball.
Watch: Who is the leader in BYU football’s defensive end room?
Linebacker
In what might be one of BYU’s deepest and most experienced linebacker rooms in recent memory, Siale Esera needs to be someone Cougar fans keep in mind. Isaiah Glasker and top incoming transfer Cade Uluave take a lot of the media headlines for the Cougar defense — a defense broken down from the inside in We Expect Nothing Less Than Greatness — but look for a different version of Esera this season. His first two seasons in a Cougar uniform were derailed by injuries, but last year we got to see flashes of greatness from the Timpview High School product. Esera has now been healthy for a long stretch and looks to solidify himself as one of the top linebackers in the conference in his junior season. At 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds, he has ideal size to keep being a wrecking ball in the middle of the defense in 2026.
Watch: BYU linebacker Owen Borg is living every BYU fan’s dream
Cornerback
Tre Alexander III has captured the hearts of many Cougar fans with his outspoken advocacy and loyalty to BYU. Alexander had a great sophomore season, and it’s believed he will take another major step forward this year. He lost his position coach to Michigan this past offseason but chose to remain with the Cougars. Alexander has a burning desire to win and to reach greatness, so with two full seasons under his belt, do not be surprised if he finishes as one of the top-ranked corners in the entire conference going into his senior year.
Watch: Tre Alexander III’s expectations for BYU football this season and his offseason work
Safety
Tommy Prassas had an incredible freshman season, with no play greater than his scoop and score against Kansas State as the Cougars blew out the Wildcats in Provo in 2024. Injuries impacted his sophomore season and he was able to keep his redshirt, which makes him a redshirt sophomore in 2026. When healthy in 2025, Prassas helped the corner room at the nickel position — a battle we tracked in Nickel Watch: BYU’s Most Wide-Open Position Battle — but it is believed that this year he will return to his more natural position at safety, where we expect him to be in the two-deep led by multi-year starter Raider Damuni and star Faletau Satuala. Prassas is a hard-hitting defensive back who will be an important player for the Cougars in 2026.
Special Teams
Brody Laga is the ultimate wildcard for the special teams unit this year. The former five-star kicker recently returned home from his mission after missing spring ball and will look to compete for the starting job against Mattias Dunn and incoming freshman Ian Sanchez. Laga has a huge leg, with a 59-yard field goal as his personal best as a high school senior. He has the makings of the next great kicker at BYU and can solidify himself as the starter this fall. You can find all three kickers on the official 2026 BYU roster.
