Sitake Says BYU Safety Raider Damuni Can Be ‘Eraser’ In Defensive Backfield
Aug 21, 2025, 9:58 AM | Updated: 11:39 am
BYU safety Raider Damuni leaves Arizona game with an apparent injury. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – After showing flashes of brilliance through two seasons in Provo, BYU safety Raider Damuni gives the Cougars a versatile defender on the back end of the defense.
Damuni’s potential earns him a spot on the 2025 KSL Sports Zone Hans & Scotty G. 60 in 60 watchlist.
“Raider Damuni has the ability to play both free safety and strong safety, which allows Jay Hill the opportunity to do a lot of different things with scheme,” BYU HC Kalani Sitake said when asked about what Damuni brings to the defense.
RELATED: Hans & Scotty’s 2025 60 In 60 List
Sitake expects BYU will deploy Damuni from several different positions to maximize his abilities.
“We can use him in the blitz package. He can cover receivers, slot receivers, tight ends, and he can also blitz from a nickel position. He’s physical enough to play in the box as a dime linebacker,” Sitake said.
About BYU’s Raider Damuni
Damuni was a standout two-way prep player with the Timpview Thunderbirds. He was a two-time Utah 5A All-State First Team selection, the Utah 5A Defensive MVP, and Region 7 MVP as a senior.
247Sports.com rated Damuni as a three-star prospect and the 41st best recruit in the nation.
Damuni joined the Cougars after serving a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in San Francisco, California.
BYU Football safety Raider Damuni on how being a missionary has set him up with healthy habits for life pic.twitter.com/Ov8OwJ5wtW
— BYUtv Sports Nation (@BYUSportsNation) July 1, 2025
The 6’1, 205-pound defender registered 21 tackles and forced one fumble as a freshman in 2023.
Last season, he played in 12 games, starting two for an opportunistic Cougars defense. He was credited with 26 stops, 2.5 tackles for a loss, and one sack as a sophomore.
What is the 60 in 60?
Hans and Scotty highlight college football players in the state of Utah with their annual 60 in 60 watchlist.
Check back after the 2025 College Football season to see the final 60 in 60 list.
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