10 Newcomers to Watch During BYU's Spring Camp

BYU kicked of Spring camp on Monday. Nearly 40 newcomers were added to the roster on the first day of practice. Here are 10 newcomers to watch throughout Spring camp.

10 - Kedon Slovis (Quarterback)

All eyes are on transfer quarterback Kedon Slovis. Aaron Roderick announced that quarterback Kedon Slovis will be given the first chance to be the starting quarterback in 2023. Assuming Slovis is the starter, a large part of BYU's success on offense will hinge on his production. When asked what he likes about BYU's offense, Slovis responded, "We throw it a lot. That’s our identity."

Slovis doesn't have time to waist - he has only has one year of eligibility remaining. This Spring is critical for his development in Aaron Roderick's offense and for the trust that he will need to earn with his teammates.

5 - Eddie Heckard (Defensive Back)

Weber State transfer Eddie Heckard is not a typical FCS transfer. Heckard, who has just one year of eligibility remaining, was one of the best players at the FCS level last season. He was named to the AP All-American FCS team and he was named to the All Big Sky first team, making him a three-time All Big Sky selection. He is one of only nine Weber State players that has been named to the all Big Sky team three times.

Given his talent and experience in Jay Hill's defense, Heckard is one of the most important members of the team in 2023. He will be tasked with locking down the top wide receivers in the Big 12.

Heckard has a lot of talent and he is a name to keep an eye on this Spring.

13 - Isaiah Bagnah (Defensive Line)

Boise State transfer Isaiah Bagnah fills an immediate need that the BYU defense has needed to fill for years: pass rushing. Statistically speaking, Bagnah becomes the most proven pass rusher on the roster. No BYU defender has tallied five or more sacks in a single season since Corbin Kaufusi in 2018. Bagnah tallied six sacks in 2021. Bagnah's ability to pressure the quarterback will make an immediate impact on the BYU defense.

19 - Ace Kaufusi (Linebacker)

Another Kaufusi joined the program in January. Ace Kaufusi used his grayshirt last season after returning home from his mission last year. Linebacker, particularly backup linebacker, is a position of need in 2023. Ace has the kind of talent to crack the two-deep and push for playing time right away.

He has good length at 6'3 but it is his athleticism that stands out on film. BYU is looking for linebackers of the future and Ace is a leading candidate to emerge from a large group of young linebackers. Ace and his cousin Maika Kaufusi (more on him in a moment) were listed as standouts on the first day by Jay Hill.

12 - Jake Retzlaff (Quarterback)

Few players on this list are as exciting to watch as Jake Retzlaff. The highly-productive JUCO transfer brings his rare arm talent to Provo. Slovis appears to be the guy in 2023, but the race to be the quarterback in 2024 is wide open, so Retzlaff is competing to be the quarterback of the future at BYU. He is a name to remember, especially when you watch the Spring scrimmage in a few weeks.

27 - Marcus McKenzie (Defensive Back)

Twins Marcus McKenzie and Dominique McKenzie signed with BYU as part of the 2021 signing class. Marcus returned from his mission and joined the program in January. The McKenzie's come from a legacy BYU family - their Father is former BYU great RB Brian McKenzie and their Mother Salote ran track at BYU.

Marcus was one of the fastest players in the state, running a 10.60 100M in 2021. He held competing offers from the likes of Pitt, Virginia, and Arizona among others in high school.

33 - Raider Damuni (Defensive Back)

Former four-star recruit Raider Damuni returned home from his mission a few months ago and joined the program in January. Damuni was an outright star at the safety position in high school, and he brings his unique playmaking ability to Provo this season.

BYU returns some veterans at safety, but don't be surprised if Raider finds his way onto the field as a true freshman. He has the kind of talent that is hard to keep on the sideline, even while he is inexperienced.

34 - Maika Kaufusi (Linebacker)

Another Kaufusi joins the program and another Kaufusi makes our list. Linebacker Maika Kaufusi, the younger brother of Isaiah Kaufusi and Jackson Kaufusi, was mentioned as a standout by Jay Hill.

Maika is a really good athlete that could find a role early in his career if he can stay healthy.

18 - Ryder Burton (Quarterback)

A third quarterback on our list? You bet. Ryder Burton signed with BYU in December before enrolling in January. It's unfair to expect too much out of a true freshman who is a few weeks removed from high school, but Burton's development is a critical storyline this Spring.

Aaron Roderick was very high on Burton's ability coming out of high school. Roderick has earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to evaluating quarterbacks given his success at BYU. Like we mentioned before, the race to be the starting quarterback in 2024 is wide open. It would be really encouraging to see Burton play well and find a backup role this season, positioning himself for a chance to compete for a starting job later in his career.

91 - Jackson Cravens (Defensive Line)

Boise State transfer Jackson Cravens fit a position of critical need when he signed with the Cougars. Cravens only has one year of eligibility remaining, so he is expected to play a big role right away.

In his career, Cravens has racked up 75 total tackles including 7 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He has also played over 900 snaps in his collegiate career. According to Pro Football Focus, Cravens is coming off the best year of his career. His season grade of 72.2 in 2022 is a career high and would have ranked second among interior defensive lineman at BYU last season.

Cravens was part of a 2022 Boise State defense that was one of the best defenses in the country. Boise State ranked no. 9 in total defense last season and no. 16 in scoring defense.

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