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BYU landed a program-changing commitment Tuesday when five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons chose the Cougars over powerhouse programs like Oregon, USC, and Ole Miss. This isn’t just another recruiting win — Lyons is the first five-star prospect to commit to BYU since 247Sports began rating recruits in 2010, making him the highest-rated player to pick the Cougars in modern recruiting history.
Lyons explained his decision during an appearance on the “Pat McAfee Show,” highlighting the program’s early belief in him.
“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.”
The California standout made multiple trips to Provo during his recruitment process, taking two unofficial visits during the 2024 season before officially visiting campus the weekend of June 19. At 6-foot-2.5 and 220 pounds, Lyons was ranked as the No. 13 overall prospect nationally and the No. 4 quarterback in the 2026 class — making him the top uncommitted QB in the country before choosing BYU.
His high school production matches the hype.
Lyons earned California Gatorade Player of the Year honors after a dominant junior season at Folsom High School. He threw for 3,011 yards with 46 touchdowns against just six interceptions while leading his team to an 11-2 record. He’s not just a pocket passer either — Lyons added 585 yards and 14 scores on the ground on 118 carries.
Cougar fans will need to exercise some patience, though.
Lyons confirmed he’ll serve a one-year LDS mission, meaning he won’t be available for the 2026 season. However, 247Sports’ evaluation suggests he’ll be worth the wait:
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’s 2026 Class Looking Historic
With Lyons’ commitment, BYU’s 2026 recruiting class jumped eight spots from No. 46 to No. 38 in the 247Sports Team Composite Recruiting Rankings. The Cougars already have 14 players committed — putting them on pace for their best high school recruiting haul since Kalani Sitake took over as head coach in 2016.
What’s most impressive? The star power at the top.
BYU now has three top-100 prospects committed for 2026 — more than any other year in the program’s modern recruiting history. Alongside Lyons, the Cougars secured major in-state wins with tight end Brock Harris (St. George) and offensive lineman Bott Mulitalo (American Fork), who both committed in April.
Harris, ranked as the nation’s No. 67 overall prospect and No. 5 tight end, chose BYU despite offers from college football royalty including Michigan, Georgia and Alabama. Mulitalo checks in at No. 92 nationally and would become the first top-100 offensive lineman to sign with BYU under Sitake. They represent the No. 2 and No. 3 prospects in Utah, respectively.
NIL Success Fueling BYU’s Rise
Lyons’ commitment continues a remarkable recruiting hot streak for BYU across multiple sports.
In December, the men’s basketball program shocked the college hoops world by landing AJ Dybantsa, the No. 2 overall prospect in the 2025 class, beating out numerous blue-blood programs. Following Dybantsa’s decision, Royal Blue NIL — BYU’s collective — released a statement highlighting the broad support from the school’s alumni base.
“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 — Qualtrics co-founder and Utah Jazz owner — has been connected to BYU’s NIL efforts as a prominent alum, though he stated on social media that he wasn’t directly involved in landing Dybantsa. Smith instead credited coach Kevin Young and the culture he’s built — a program that later made a Sweet 16 run in the NCAA Tournament.
Whoever’s behind it, one thing is clear: BYU has figured out how to thrive in college sports’ new landscape.
