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Recapping a Busy Month of BYU Recruiting

BYU accepted commitments from nine different prospects in June
Casey Lundquist|
Recapping a Busy Month of BYU Recruiting
Recapping a Busy Month of BYU Recruiting

It's been a busy month for the BYU football program. Since June 1, the coaching staff has hosted over 100 unofficial visitors on campus. In addition, BYU hosted its annual media day. Meanwhile, BYU has received multiple verbal commitments from prospects ranging from the class of 2021 to the class of 2024. Let's recap a busy month of BYU football recruiting, starting with 2023 commit Dallin Johnson.

Dallin Johnson - Class of 2023

After receiving his first offer from BYU in April, Johnson "couldn't wait any longer" to commit to the Cougars. Johnson was the first prospect to commit to BYU in June.

Johnson comes from a BYU family. His grandpa is Brent Johnson who was a kicker for BYU in 1978 and 1979 when the Cougars won back-to-back WAC championships.

"I’ve always wanted to be here," Johnson told Cougs Daily. "No other school can offer me anything that means more. My visit was amazing, [I] had a chance to meet coaches and see the campus. I loved every second of it."

Johnson was just a freshman last Fall - he played both center and defensive tackle for Springville. BYU offered him as a defensive tackle. He has the talent to be a highly-touted recruit by the time he signs in 2024. 

Cooper Ross - Class of 2022

For Cooper, committing to BYU is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. "I’m being completely honest when I say that BYU has always been my dream school," he said. "It's very different from all other Universities in its mission to serve others and create good people. I feel it matches what I’m looking for more than any other school. Don’t tell my Dad, he is a huge ASU fan."

Cooper's relationship with BYU began on Twitter, but things accelerated when he met Coach Clark and Coach Tuiaki at the Dixie State football camp a few weeks ago. "I interacted with several different coaches at camp, mainly Coach Clark, Coach Tuiaki, Coach Hadley and Coach Lamb," Ross said. "Having the opportunity to learn from these great coaches just blew my mind. I was soaking up everything they would say...I’m incredibly excited to come play for BYU. It’s been my dream since I was young and I’m incredibly blessed to have the dream coming true."

Throughout his high school career, Cooper has played tight end for Heritage Academy in Mesa, Arizona. Heritage Academy is small - they play in an eight-man football league. At the BYU camp, Ross played on both sides of the ball. According to Ross, his position at BYU is still to be determined. "I’m not sure yet where I’ll be asked to play," he said. "I played both offense and defense at camp. The decision is up to the coaching staff and I’ll play wherever they want me."

Ross will leave to serve a mission after he graduates, and he will enroll in the Fall of 2024.

Braxton Fely - Class of 2022

BYU received its second 2022 commit in as many days when Braxton Fely committed to the Cougars. Fely, who held competing offers from Utah State, Colorado State, and Air Force, can play multiple spots along the defensive line.

Fely preps just down the road from Lavell Edwards Stadium at Timpview High School. He played alongside fellow BYU signees Logan Fano and Raider Damuni last season.

Listed at 6'2 240 lbs., Fely is a versatile defensive lineman who has the potential to become a major contributor for BYU in the future. 

Fely received the BYU offer in January - he had originally planned on making his college decision "either during the next football season or after the season." His recent visit to BYU changed that timeline, and Fely opted to verbally pledge to the Cougars.

Brooks Jones - Class of 2022

Jones preps at the American Leadership Academy in Arizona where he plays basketball. Preston Hadley, whose defensive assignment shifted from safeties to defensive ends over the offseason, extended Jones the offer in May. Listed at 6'6 195 pounds, Jones committed as a defensive end.

Brooks will be a senior this Fall, and he will be playing his first year of high school football.

Brooks came in contact with BYU's coaching staff through his brother Dean. Dean, who signed with BYU as part of the 2020 signing class, was also new to the game of football when he signed with BYU. Dean started playing football as a junior in high school after attending a BYU football camp the Summer prior. Dean's length and speed at 6'2 caught the coaching staff's attention, and the staff eventually offered Dean a scholarship.

Prior to playing football, Dean Jones competed in rodeo. "I was born on a ranch in Arizona so that's where I spent most of my life. We roped, we rode horses, we just had fun," Dean said in an earlier interview with Cougs Daily.

Preston Hadley was Dean's main recruiter throughout his recruitment. Now with a new role on the staff, Hadley is Brooks' main contact at BYU.

On the opportunity to potentially play with his older brother Dean, Brooks said, "I am LDS, and it’s been a dream of mine to play for them [BYU] and to be able to play with my brother Dean."

Kaden Chidester - Class of 2022

Chidester is a basketball player out of Richfield who received a scholarship offer to play football at BYU. Chidester's size could allow him to play a few different positions at BYU. He is listed at 6-8 and he has a lot of upside.

Tyler Little - Class of 2021

Little's path to college football was, in a word, unique. He graduated high school with plans to play college basketball. After serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Little says a "good friend from high school began to talk [him] into playing football." The only problem? He had not played football since 8th grade.

Despite his inexperience on the football field, Tyler felt good about the change and he enrolled at Butte Community College to try out for the football team. He made the roster as a six-foot-six offensive tackle.

He heard from BYU, Boise State, Utah, and Baylor since he started playing football in January. After an unofficial visit at BYU, Little was offered a scholarship. "The visit was an experience I will never forget," Little said. "I loved my workout with Coach Darrell Funk, and meeting all of the coaches and staff at BYU."

Following his workout with BYU, Little received a scholarship offer and signed with BYU. He has four years of eligibility remaining.

Cade Parrish - Class of 2021

BYU has been searching for a late addition at offensive tackle for the last few months. They found exactly what they were looking for in Snow College offensive lineman Cade Parrish. Parrish held competing offers from the likes of Arizona, Oklahoma State, Buffalo, Hawaii, and Liberty before committing to the Cougars. Parrish was originally committed to Arizona, but he decommitted from the Wildcats in October and re-opened his recruitment

Parrish will immediately bolster the depth at offensive tackle when he joins the program in time for this season. He will have three years of eligibility remaining.

Paul Fitzgerald - Class of 2022

Last Friday, BYU landed another 2022 commitment when Paul Fitzgerald committed to the Cougars as a preferred walk-on. Fitzgerald, who is listed at 6'3 230 pounds, held a competing offer from Nevada before committing to the Cougars. Since committing to BYU, he received another competing offer from Utah State.

Spencer Ferguson - Class of 2021

Spencer Ferguson is a running back out of Davis High School who will join the program as a PWO after his mission. Ferguson ran for nearly 1,700 yards as a senior, you can check out a few of his highlights below.

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Casey Lundquist
CASEY LUNDQUIST

Casey Lundquist is the publisher and lead editor of BYU On SI. He has covered BYU athletics since 2020. During that time, he has published over 3,500 stories that have reached millions of readers.

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