BYU TE Matt Bushman Might Be Cougars ‘Most Improved Player’ In Camp

PROVO, Utah – BYU tight end Matt Bushman turned down the NFL for one more season to improve his craft. The star tight end who has led BYU in receiving yards the past three years doesn’t need to prove to folks around Provo how good he is, but that didn’t stop him from putting in work this off-season.

BYU is in the middle of week number two of its fall camp practices and the senior star is standing out more than he already has the last three years.

When asked who have been some of the receivers that stuck out to this point of camp, BYU passing game coordinator Aaron Roderick was quick to reply on Wednesday, “Well, the easy answer is Bushman.

“He’s always been a good player, he’s one of our best players but he might also be our most improved player so far in camp.”

Isn’t a 2021 TE more consistently productive than BYU’s Matt Bushman.

Past three years:
Rec: 49/29/47
Yards: 520/511/688
Rec TD: 3/2/4

Andy Reid and Doug Pederson will have connections thru Bushman’s father-in-law, former @Eagles Pro Bowler Chad Lewis.#TheDraftStartsInMOBILE pic.twitter.com/lDqBdwInnw

— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) July 29, 2020

High praise for a player who doesn’t need the praise or accolades based on his body of work thus far at BYU. But to say he might be the most improved, that has to perk up the ears of NFL scouts and executives. Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy said last month there “isn’t a 2021 TE more consistently productive than BYU’s Matt Bushman” and that was before fall camp fired up in Provo.

For a guy that has NFL scouts already intrigued, where could he improve?

“He’s improved in his route running and he’s learning how to release better when people press him at the line of scrimmage he’s a better blocker than he’s ever been. And we’re going to be using him in a lot more ways than we have in the past, which I’m not afraid to say that,” said Roderick. “I think that he’s going to be really unpredictable for teams to figure out where he’s going to be lined up and we’re using him in various personnel groups.”

Roderick said Matt Bushman might be #BYU's most improved player in camp. "He's improved in his route running and he's learning how to release better when people press him at the LOS. He's also a better blocker than he's ever been."#BYUFootball @kslsports

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) August 12, 2020

Bushman has the opportunity to become only the second player in BYU history to lead his team in receiving yards in all four seasons. The other is Cody Hoffman who is BYU’s all-time leading receiver. With a stable of talented quarterbacks and an offense that is set on getting the Mackey Award candidate the ball often, Bushman could be due for a big season in 2020. Assuming, we see games this fall.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.