On3/Rivals currently pegs the BYU Cougars at No. 4 in the Big 12 in 2026 industry recruiting rankings, trailing only Texas Tech, Kansas State and TCU. That’s unfamiliar territory for a program that once struggled for blue-chip attention as an independent. But BYU’s new Big 12 identity added the juice of 2026 five-star QB Ryder Lyons being the sole 5-star since 2003, with two 4-stars and 13 3-stars, has turned Kalani Sitake’s group into a legitimate player in the recruiting arms race. Their 81 overall rating in EA College Football 26 might say eighth in the conference. Talk about their 18th commit so they had to chase this three-star DL for several months. The pledge came Monday night, and it was a big one.
Three-star DL Nehemiah Kolone of Stillwater, Oklahoma, announced his commitment to BYU, choosing the Cougars over local favorite Oklahoma State and Michigan State. Kolone, the No. 873 overall player and No. 82 DL in the country per Rivals’ composite rankings, had been on BYU’s radar for months. Standing 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds, Kolone brings the kind of size and twitch that DC Jay Hill covets up front. Even more impressive? He’s the No. 17-ranked player in the state, one of the deepest defensive line states in the country. Kolone wasn’t the only win of the day.
All in. #Committed #GoCougs @Coach_Popp @Pouha91 @kalanifsitake @CoachTyusMoe pic.twitter.com/PVV2TQyn2g
— Nehemiah Kolone (@MiahKolone) July 8, 2025
BYU also landed Rogers (Ark.) three-star athlete Braxton Lindsey, giving them back-to-back fireworks in a class that’s quietly becoming one of Kalani Sitake’s best. Lindsey projects as a versatile chess piece; one that could develop into a box safety or even a slot corner depending on where he grows. Both players had visited Provo multiple times, with Kolone making several trips before ultimately giving the nod to BYU. Their decisions reflect what Hill says has become the new reality post-independence: the Cougars are no longer recruiting with one hand tied behind their back.
“There were a lot of great players who visited the last couple weeks. We’re excited about where we are with a lot of them,” Hill said during BYU’s media day event at Cedar Hills Golf Club. “We’ve still got to finish up the game with them, and even the ones that are committed we’ve got to continue to do a great job.” That kind of recruiting consistency is what separates the Big 12’s true contenders from the rest—and right now, BYU is doing a better job than many thought possible just a year ago. While the program is still in setback period after deciding to part ways with QB1, Jake Retzlaff, Hill and Kalani Sitake are clearly focused on long-term growth, especially on the defensive side.
The real crown jewel remains Lyons. BYU’s first five-star since 2003 has given the program an identity and a recruiting gravitational pull they’ve never had. Sitake is doing what smart head coaches do—building the 2026 class around his future signal-caller and doubling down on elite trench play. Even the EA Sports rating crew will have to take notice if the momentum continues into the season.“I like where we’re at. I think it’s only going to get better. BYU in the Big 12 is a powerhouse in recruiting. We can do great things,” Hill added. It’s no longer about catching up—BYU is setting the e pace in a conference that just keeps tightening.
Kalani Sitake’s 5-Star spark plug has recruiting rolling
Kalani Sitake’s recruiting machine didn’t just start humming this summer—it caught fire the moment Ryder Lyons pulled the trigger. On June 24, BYU landed its biggest commitment in two decades, securing a pledge from Folsom (Calif.) five-star QB Lyons, the No. 17 overall prospect and No. 5 signal-caller in the country. It wasn’t just a win. It was a power move. And it set the tone for the rest of BYU’s 2026 recruiting class.
“BYU has been on me from the start,” Lyons told Rivals’ Chad Simmons ahead of his official visit. “I have been there so many times. I know a lot about the program, I have a lot of good relationships there and they have made me feel like a top guy from the very beginning.” It’s clear this wasn’t a late push, it was a full-court press from the jump, and the Cougars never let off the gas.
Lyons won’t be on campus until spring 2027 due to his planned LDS mission, but that hasn’t stopped Sitake and staff from building around him now. With Lindsey and Kolone recently hopping aboard, the Cougars’ class has climbed inside the top 40 of the Rivals Industry Team Rankings. Kolone joins Junior Moala as the second D-lineman in the class—another brick in what’s quickly becoming a foundation with Lyons at the center.
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