BYU Football Recruiting Class Recap: 2024 is BYU's Deepest Ever
With the announcements of four-star edge rusher Naki Tuakoi and three-star linebacker Sefo Akuila, BYU has rounded out its 2024 recruiting class, and it’s time to make a pronouncement: this is the deepest recruiting class BYU has ever had, especially on defense.
Over the last five years, BYU has been able to land two to three high-level defensive recruits in each class such as Bodie Schoonover and Tate Romney in 2020, Logan Fano and Raider Damuni in 2021, Aisea Moa and Marcus McKenzie in 2022, and Siale Esera in 2023. Those are all excellent power five level players that boasted 49 competing power five offers between them. The problem was that those seven players accounted for over 70% of all competing power five offers held by the defensive players signed between 2020-2023. After those players, the recruiting floor dropped off significantly with 40 of the 51 players signed holding fewer than two competing P5 offers and 23 players holding zero competing FBS offers.
That all changed on Wednesday. All 19 defensive players that signed with BYU in this cycle held competing FBS offers with 15 holding multiple. Defensive players in the 2024 class held more competing P4 offers (77) than the previous four classes combined (69). Additionally, the average 247 rating for BYU’s top 10 defensive recruits has risen drastically from 83.2 in 2020 to 87.6 in 2024 and BYU’s high school recruiting ranking has risen from 80th to 45th. Talk about your Big 12 recruiting bump.
What changed in 2024? P4 inclusion certainly helps, but I ultimately think the answer is a willingness to swing. For better or worse, the numbers show that BYU's previous defensive staff simply did not consistently compete for players that had options elsewhere. As mentioned previously, over 56% of defensive players signed between 2020 and 2022 held zero competing offers from FBS schools. In the 2024 class, DT Danny Saili and LB Sefo Akuila were committed to Texas Tech and Arizona respectively before flipping to BYU just before signing day. Faletau Satuala, Ephraim Asiata, and Kinilau Fonohema all had 247 Crystal Balls predicting that they would be signing with Utah days before signing day. Translation: this new defensive staff did not shy away from competition.
Naturally, there will be some concern about the offensive recruiting class, which brought in just six players after a dismal 2023 season, but there is potentially a reason for that. First off, most of the scholarship capital went to defense because that is where a larger influx of talent was needed, especially on the defensive line. Secondly, BYU recruiting will always be unique because of missions, and BYU has a slew of talented offensive players returning in 2024. The Cougs will be adding wide receivers Cody Hagen and Dom McKenzie along with TE Noah Moeaki and RB Poka Haunga in 2024, who boasted a combined 16 P5 offers and an average 247 rating of 87.5.
Obviously, there is room for concern in 2024 as BYU sorts out it’s quarterback room, but I feel comfortable saying that the 2024 roster will contain more high-level young talent than ever before. Patience is important, especially as these new recruits get adjusted to the college game, but make no mistake about it: as long as this staff stays intact, the future of BYU is bright.
