Projecting BYU’s 2019 Depth Chart: Fall Camp Edition 1.0

PROVO, Utah – We are one week into BYU football fall camp.  Where do things stand in regards to the depth chart?

There’s still three weeks until the season opener in Provo against the University of Utah, but it feels like a good time to prognosticate what the depth chart might look like heading into that first game for the Cougars.

Complete disclosure:  The media gets to see the last 15-20 minutes of practice.  This depth chart is NOT OFFICIAL or coming from BYU.  These are my projections based on what I’m hearing, seeing from practices and production in previous years.

* = Injured or Academics

Quarterback

1. Zach Wilson

2. Jaren Hall

No debate here, it’s Wilson’s job.  The good thing is that Hall continues to push Wilson to get better each and every day.  Passing Game Coordinator Aaron Roderick said that there isn’t much difference between Wilson and Hall, except Wilson has the game experience.  Both players continue to compete, but Wilson is the face of the team and the program at the moment.

Zach Wilson told me that his social life is football. He will have time in life to do other things, but football is his top priority right now. He’s even invited his teammates who are married to bring their wives to SAB to watch film in the evenings. #BYU #CampKalani

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) August 6, 2019

Running Back

1. Lopini Katoa

2. Ty’Son Williams

This is a position battle that’s up for grabs, but right now I’d give the nod to Katoa.  The more important angle to this position battle will end up being in games with who ends up getting more carries. But for right now, the coaching staff has a lot of trust in Katoa and he’s the leader at the moment.  BYU’s running back room has made significant strides from where it was at the beginning of the calendar year.

X-Wide Receiver

1. Gunner Romney

2. Micah Simon

Romney is the leader to be the starter at the X but Simon was someone who was standing out according to wide receivers coach Fesi Sitake. Romney’s route running and sure-handed receiving ability is what would give him the nod right now in this projection.

#BYU WR Gunner Romney will be in a greater spotlight this season for the Cougars. pic.twitter.com/L7Wtp0fUFw

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) August 7, 2019

Z-Wide Receiver

1. Talon Shumway

2. Talmage Gunther -OR-

Keanu Hill

Talon Shumway is the clear-cut starter, but the second string option is hard to project at the moment.  Neil Pau’u would have been the easy choice, but he’s redshirting this after pleading guilty to impaired driving charges.  Keanu Hill is currently battling a hamstring injury that he suffered on day one and Talmage Gunther is an under-the-radar athlete that no one outside of the building is currently talking about.

SLOT

1. Aleva Hifo

2. Dax Milne

Easy to tab Hifo and Milne at the slot.  Coaches utilized Hifo a ton last season and Milne has always been someone that Fesi Sitake views in high regard.  These two will see a lot of time this season.

Tight End

1. Matt Bushman

2. Moroni Laulu-Pututau*

3. Joe Tukuafu -OR-

Isaac Rex

Matt Bushman should be a focal point of the 2019 offense.  According to reports, Bushman has been fantastic through the first week of fall camp.  Hank Tuipulotu suffering an ACL injury is a loss.  Despite not playing a down in a game, Tuipulotu was a playmaker at tight end for the Cougar offense.  Moroni Laulu-Pututau’s academic status and his recovery from a devastating knee injury are going to be big stories to monitor going forward.  With no Laulu-Pututau, this position has no proven players not named Bushman.

#BYU TE Matt Bushman is a player I’ll keep my eye on over the next couple of years. Focal point of that passing attack. Led the team in receptions and receiving yards last season. Also led all TEs in the nation with 17.6 yards per catch.

AND he can make plays like this: pic.twitter.com/zmsXx1QjvK

— Jonathan Valencia (@JonValenciaPFN) August 7, 2019

Left Tackle

1. Brady Christensen

2. Thomas Shoaf

Left Guard

1. Kieffer Longson -OR-

Keanu Saleapaga

Center

1. James Empey

2. Caden Haws -OR-

Addison Pulsipher

No. 5 on the #BYUTop10 list voted on by the KSL sports is #BYU OL James Empey. pic.twitter.com/ZX4RwrUqk8

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) July 27, 2019

Right Guard

1. Tristen Hoge

2. Keanu Saleapaga -OR-

Kieffer Longson

Right Tackle

1. Harris LaChance

2. Chandon Herring

The battles currently taking place along the offensive line are starting left guard and backup center.  The starter at right tackle is up for grabs as well as BYU looks to replace Austin Hoyt, but I’m going to give the nod to Harris LaChance.  LaChance, a redshirt freshman at 6-8, 305 pounds, is a vocal leader along the offensive line.  James Empey might be one of the better centers out west this year and Tristen Hoge is versatile enough to play any position on the line.

If this group can allow only one sack for every 36 pass attempts, new offensive line coach Eric Mateos might then start buying the hype on his guys.  But for now, he wants them to continue to put in the work.

Defensive End

1. Zac Dawe

2. Trajan Pili

Spoke with #BYU DE Devin Kaufusi earlier this evening. He said Matt Bushman and some other teammates recently told him, “you’re definitely faster than Corbin!” #CampKalani pic.twitter.com/qeJqNpqViG

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) August 6, 2019

Nose Guard

1. Khyiris Tonga

2. Bracken El-Bakri

Defensive Tackle

1. Lorenzo Fauatea

2. Earl Tuioti-Mariner

Outside Edge

1. Devin Kaufusi

2. Uriah Leiataua

BYU’s defensive line looks to be improved from recent seasons.  But the biggest question remains, will they be able to generate a four-man rush?  We will find out soon enough but with Devin Kaufusi, Zac Dawe, Khyiris Tonga, and Lorenzo Fauatea, it might be the best combination of size and speed that the Cougars have had along the D-Line in the Sitake era.

Field Linebacker

1. Zayne Anderson

2. Chaz Ah You

BYU’s field linebacker a.k.a. the “FLASH” backer is basically an extension of the safety position, but they obviously have to be physical enough to go into the box and get physical when needed.  Zayne Anderson will be a leader of the defense.  His health is of the utmost importance because he can be a gamechanger for the Cougars this year.  Chaz Ah You is having a quiet fall so far, but there are high projections for his potential in the program.

Mike Linebacker

1. Kavika Fonua -OR-

Payton Wilgar

3. Jackson Kaufusi

Fonua reached out to the coaching staff and offered to switch from running back to linebacker.  It should pay off for Fonua as he will see time in games this fall.  The question is whether or not he will be the starter.  Fonua and Wilgar are currently running with the first-team defense and look to be the favorites to be a starter despite not competing on the defense this past spring.  Max Tooley is another option that could see time in the middle.

Boundary Linebacker

1. Isaiah Kaufusi

2. Max Tooley

Ed Lamb made it clear on day one of fall camp that Zayne Anderson and Isaiah Kaufusi were penciled in as starters at linebacker.  Kaufusi was the most improved player in the program a season ago and now that he’s established himself as one of BYU’s top players, he’s looking to take his game to another level.

Left Cornerback

1. Dayan Ghanwoloku

2. Chris Wilcox*

3. Keenan Ellis -OR-

Shamon Willis

Chris Wilcox has yet to suit up during the practices that the media has been able to see.  The senior cornerback is one of BYU’s top NFL Draft prospects, so if he’s healthy, he would be a starter.  But for now, Dayan Ghanwoloku is back at the corner spot, and he loves it.  Ghanwoloku is a ballhawk and is someone that can make an impact in a variety of ways for BYU’s defense.

🎬 pic.twitter.com/Ekl33Nlu92

— Dayan G. Lake (@Lake_Era5) August 6, 2019

Right Cornerback

1. D’Angelo Mandell

2. Isaiah Herron -OR-

George Udo

D’Angelo Mandell put in work this off-season.  From working with the BYU coaching staff to former Cougar Brandon Bradley and his hometown trainer Dorain Crawford, Mandell has been motivated to be a lockdown cornerback for BYU in 2019.  He’s likely going to get his chance. There is still a competition taking place between him Herron, Willis, and Ellis right now, but Mandell has the highest upside of the group and he has the most game action under his belt.

Free Safety

1. Austin Lee

2. Troy Warner*

3. Beau Tanner

Senior Austin Lee has been a player that BYU safeties coach Preston Hadley has been singing the praises of since he arrived on campus to work for the Cougars coaching staff.  Lee would have been in a battle with Troy Warner for the spot, but Warner hasn’t participated in practices in the observation periods that the media has been able to see.  Warner, the younger brother to Fred Warner, is still recovering from a foot injury he suffered this past spring.

Strong Safety

1. Sawyer Powell -OR-

Malik Moore

3. Hayden Livingston

The strong safety spot has been a position where a position battle has emerged during camp.  It’s the one that’s too close to call at the moment.  Powell brings a wealth of years and experience to the position, while Malik Moore is young and has a lot of upside in his game.  Hayden Livingston is a walk-on safety who coaches like due to his versatility and athleticism.

Kicker

1. Jake Oldroyd -OR-

Skyler Southam

Ed Lamb said Oldroyd has a “razor-thin” lead on Southam leaving spring practices, so I’ll assume Jake “The Make” is going to have the job in week one, but it’s close to call.

Ed Lamb earlier today regarding the biggest surprise so far in camp on ST: “Jake Oldroyd’s punting. Another surprise is Skyler Southam’s kickoff. He has the ability to put a lot of hang time and distance under it.” #BYU

— Matthew Baiamonte (@baiamontematt) August 8, 2019

Punter

1. Jake Oldroyd

2. Danny Jones

To the surprise of many, Oldroyd can also punt. He seems like the likely leader at punter with one week down in camp.

We will have updated depth chart projections leading up to the start of the 2019 BYU football season.

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