Ranking the Top 10 BYU football players from the Kalani Sitake-era
Jul 31, 2026, 12:02 PM
PROVO, Utah – The Kalani Sitake era of BYU football has been nothing short of a tremendous success in Provo.
Since his hiring in 2016, the Cougars are 84-45 (.651), with six bowl victories in eight appearances, and he has overseen a highly successful transition from independence to the Big 12.
Sitake has proven himself as a terrific motivator and strong game-day tactician, and his recruiting success grows by the year.
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But perhaps the clearest measure of a coach is the talent he develops — and keeps developing after players leave.
From walk-ons who became NFL starters to blue-chip recruits who lived up to the billing, the Sitake era has produced a pipeline of players whose impact stretches well beyond Provo.
As BYU prepares for its fourth Big 12 season, KSL’s BYU insider Mitch Harper ranked the 10 best performers to wear Cougar blue since 2016.
No. 10 – Tyler Batty
Defensive Line
Before becoming a team captain as a senior, Tyler Batty was a standout prep star at nearby Payson High School.
He appeared in four games as a freshman in 2020, recording 13 tackles and flashing potential with four sacks and 5.5 tackles for a loss.
Batty’s production increased every season, culminating in a senior campaign in which he accumulated 59 tackles, seven tackles for a loss and the only two interceptions of his BYU career.
2026 Draft: Utah LT Caleb Lomu (19 y/o)
vs BYU DE Tyler Batty (25 y/o). Batty was 2nd in the B12 with 42 pressures, but Lomu and Utah held him to 0 pressures in a game for just the second time all year.The Vikings signed Batty as a UDFA for $259k pic.twitter.com/KzPsgcFZ52
— Clay Fink (@clay_fink) April 29, 2025
The performance earned All-Big 12 first-team recognition, a year after he was named to the All-Big 12 second team in 2023.
When the 2024 season ended, Batty had made 45 starts in 53 games for the Cougars. He tallied 224 tackles, 33.5 tackles for a loss, 16.5 sacks and four turnovers.
Batty signed with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent and eventually earned a spot on the active roster in 2025. He saw action in 12 games, finishing with 12 tackles and two tackles for a loss.
No. 9 – Taysom Hill
Quarterback
Two season-ending leg injuries marred his otherwise marvelous BYU career, but that didn’t prevent Taysom Hill from putting up video-game numbers in five seasons with the program.
Though Hill only spent one season playing for Sitake, his NFL success has bolstered the program’s reputation ever since.
A knee injury limited him to two starts and three appearances as a true freshman in 2012. He bounced back to make 13 starts the following year, accounting for 2,938 passing yards and 19 touchdowns. He added 1,344 rushing yards and 10 scores.
RELATED: Former BYU star Taysom Hill says farewell to New Orleans Saints
30 Days until College Football
Enjoy this Taysom Hill 30 yard scramble for a touchdown pic.twitter.com/F23bQQ6CaY
— SEC Meat Riders (@SECMEATRIDERS) July 30, 2026
Injury No. 2 cost him all but four games in 2014. He was named FBS Independent Offensive Player of the Week in every game he played.
A medical redshirt in 2015 limited Hill to one appearance.
As a senior in 2016 — Sitake’s first season — he completed 60% of his passes for 2,323 yards and 12 touchdowns. Never one to shy away from contact despite the injuries, he ran for 603 yards and eight scores, averaging more than 50 rushing yards per game.
Hill left Provo after throwing for 6,929 yards and 43 touchdowns and rushing for 2,815 yards and 32 more scores, becoming the greatest rushing quarterback in Cougar history.
The Pocatello, Idaho, native developed into one of the most successful gadget players in NFL history. The quarterback-turned-tight end/wide receiver/running back — and sometimes still quarterback — became the only player in the Super Bowl era to record 1,000-plus passing yards, 1,000-plus rushing yards and 1,000-plus receiving yards in a career.
He recently said goodbye to New Orleans after nine seasons with the only NFL franchise he has ever known.
No. 8 – Puka Nacua
Wide Receiver
A two-time state champion with the Orem Tigers, Puka Nacua signed with BYU after two low-impact seasons with the Washington Huskies.
He spent two seasons in Cougar blue, leading the team in receiving yards both years.
In 2021, Nacua blossomed as a big-play threat. He averaged 18.7 yards per catch on 43 receptions, finishing with 805 yards and six touchdowns.
He struggled with nagging injuries the following year but still managed 625 yards and five touchdowns on 48 catches.
#BYU WR Puka Nacua: “Love and learn for sure is a lot better when we’re winning.” 😂 #BYUFootball #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/D9virItePN
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 6, 2022
Nacua left Provo with 91 catches for 1,430 yards and 11 touchdowns. He added 357 yards and five scores as a rusher.
Nacua exploded onto the NFL scene as a rookie after being a fifth-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams. He set NFL rookie records for receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486) while being named second-team All-Pro.
Nacua was named a First-Team All-Pro in 2025 after recording 129 catches for 1,715 yards and ten touchdowns.
No. 7 – Fred Warner
Linebacker
Fred Warner’s BYU career began slowly after he signed as a four-star prospect in 2014.
He earned a starting job as a sophomore, recording 67 tackles and four sacks in 13 games.
Warner’s improvement continued as a junior, when he led the team with 86 tackles and was second on the squad with 10.5 tackles for a loss. His three interceptions were tied for second on the team.
Warner earned a captainship and 13 starts in his senior year. He led BYU in tackles for the second straight year, finishing with 87.
He finished his BYU career with 264 tackles, six sacks, seven interceptions and five fumble recoveries in 49 games and 42 starts.
No. 54 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026…@49ers LB Fred Warner! @NFLFilms pic.twitter.com/xt07dumzLm
— NFL (@NFL) July 23, 2026
Since leaving for the NFL as a third-round pick in 2018, Warner has set himself on a Hall of Fame trajectory with the San Francisco 49ers. Often described as the best all-around linebacker in the league, he is as adept at rushing the quarterback as he is at dropping back in pass coverage.
Warner had started every game of his NFL career until an injury limited him to six games in 2025. He has 948 tackles, 10 sacks, 38 tackles for a loss and 10 interceptions in eight years.
No. 6 – Brady Christensen
Offensive Line
Brady Christensen committed to BYU out of Bountiful High School following a standout prep career and a 2015 all-state selection.
After redshirting as a freshman, Christensen immediately cracked the starting five. He was nominated as a Freshman All-American candidate and was named the second-best freshman offensive tackle by Pro Football Focus.
BREAKING: With No. 70 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the @Panthers select former BYU OL Brady Christensen (@Brady_BYU) #LocalsInTheNFL #BYU #GoCougs #BYUFOOTBALL pic.twitter.com/lOJe4E4a8P
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) May 1, 2021
Another 13 starts in 2019 saw Christensen grade out as the No. 12 overall offensive lineman by PFF. BYU’s offense ranked 26th in the nation, averaging 284.7 yards per game.
He capped his BYU career in 2020, earning consensus All-American recognition while starting all 12 games.
Christensen became a third-round pick of the Carolina Panthers in the 2021 draft. He has 34 starts in 59 career games as a pro.
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No. 5 – LJ Martin
Running Back
Once committed to Stanford, LJ Martin shifted his college commitment to BYU after a Cougar win at Stanford led to the dismissal of head coach David Shaw.
Stanford’s loss has been BYU’s gain since Day 1.
The Cougars wasted no time acclimating Martin to the college game, leaning on him for a team-high 109 carries, 518 yards and four touchdowns as a true freshman in 2023.
He went on to earn All-Big 12 honorable mention as a sophomore after rushing for 723 yards and seven touchdowns. He was named Alamo Bowl Offensive MVP after running for 93 yards and two scores with two catches for 33 yards in a win over No. 23 Colorado.
🚨NFL TEAMS are definitely keeping an eye on BYU RB LJ Martin…
He’s just what the NFL is looking for… He can do it ALL pic.twitter.com/11aIYIcsW8
— Life and Football (@LifeandBall) July 5, 2026
Martin became one of the best running backs in the country in 2025. He began the year as a team captain and backed up that trust with a Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year award.
He finished with a Big 12-leading 1,305 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, adding 255 yards on 36 catches out of the backfield. His 100.4 rushing yards per game were 12th-best in the country.
He returns for his senior season in 2026 as the program’s ninth-leading rusher with 2,541 career yards. Another 1,000-yard season would move him into the top three all-time.
No. 4 – Jaren Hall
Quaretrback
The best passer in BYU history at avoiding interceptions, Jaren Hall joined the program in 2018 and took the long road to the starting job in 2021.
Hall played in nine games in his first two years before using his medical redshirt for the 2020 campaign.
Hall emerged as the starter in 2021. He completed 64% of his passes while throwing for 2,583 yards and 20 touchdowns against five interceptions.
Chase Roberts with a TD pass to Jaren Hall! 🤯 #BYU #BYUFootball #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/Yk4KVFUr8c
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) September 11, 2022
He improved the following year, throwing for 3,171 yards — the eighth-best mark in program history.
His BYU career ended with 52 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, accumulating 6,174 passing yards and 796 yards on the ground with nine scores.
Hall was a fifth-round pick (164th overall) of the Minnesota Vikings in 2023. He has appeared in three career games, throwing for 168 yards and an interception.
No. 3 – Jamaal Williams
Running Back
Jamaal Williams came to Provo as a highly touted running back out of Fontana, California. He exited as the program’s all-time leader in rushing yards (3,901), attempts (726), 100-yard games (16) and single-game rushing yards (286).
He played only one year under Sitake, averaging 137.5 rushing yards per game and finding the end zone 12 times. Williams finished the season with 1,375 rushing yards.
It was the second time in four seasons that Williams exceeded the 1,000-yard plateau. He ran for 1,233 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore in 2013, averaging just over 100 yards per game.
What do you know about BYU Jamaal Williams 👀 https://t.co/cTkYNnsc8a pic.twitter.com/EEnjTzl6K5
— Center Street Media (@CenterStMedia) June 30, 2026
His record-setting career in Provo made Williams a fourth-round pick (134th overall) of the Green Bay Packers.
In eight NFL seasons with three teams, he ran for 4,122 yards and 32 touchdowns. Williams became the quintessential goal-line back with Detroit in 2022, leading the NFL with 17 rushing touchdowns.
No. 2 – Tyler Allgeier
Running Back
From the same Fontana, California, pipeline as Williams, Tyler Allgeier became a dynamic rusher at BYU after spending time as a multidimensional threat in all three phases.
Following a redshirt season in which he totaled 152 all-purpose yards in 2018, Allgeier played everywhere in his second year. He was active in all 13 games, seeing snaps as a linebacker, running back and kick returner.
Allgeier became the Cougars’ leading rusher in 2020, finishing eighth in the country with 1,130 yards and averaging 102.7 yards per game. His 14 total touchdowns were the 10th-most in the nation. He ended the year with a career-high 173 yards in a Boca Raton Bowl win over UCF.
Falcons rookie RB Tyler Allgeier might be able to help the team on defense too. 🥊 (via @espn)
@tylerallgeier17 | @AtlantaFalcons pic.twitter.com/kIDmHOtW5K
— NFL (@NFL) May 6, 2022
The next season, Allgeier averaged nearly six yards per carry on his way to a 1,606-yard, 23-touchdown season, setting the program’s single-season records for rushing yardage and attempts (276). His 23 touchdowns are the second-most in program history.
He exited the program as the all-time leader in six categories, including career rushing average at 6.4 yards per carry.
Allgeier entered the NFL as a fifth-round pick (151st overall) of the Atlanta Falcons in 2022 and ran for 1,035 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie.
He signed with the Arizona Cardinals as a free agent in 2026 after averaging 4.3 yards per carry in four seasons with Atlanta. He has 2,876 career rushing yards and 18 touchdowns.
No. 1 – Zach Wilson
Quarterback
Zach Wilson came to BYU after being named the Class 5A MVP and a first-team all-state selection at Corner Canyon High School.
He became the youngest freshman quarterback to start in BYU history when he took the first snap in an eventual win over Hawaii in 2018. Wilson ended that season with 1,578 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and a 65.9% completion rate.
Wilson entered his sophomore year as the unquestioned starter following a perfect 18-for-18 performance with 317 yards and four touchdowns in a Famous Idaho Potato Bowl win over Western Michigan.
He started nine of 13 games the following year, throwing for 200-plus yards eight times. He ended the year with 11 touchdowns through the air and three more scores on the ground.
Zach Wilson em BYU 💪💪
Zach Wilson nos Jets… pic.twitter.com/UhDMzAXN7x
— Danilo Lacalle (@danlacalle) January 5, 2024
Wilson became a national phenomenon in 2020. His athleticism, ability to elude tacklers and escape the pocket, and knack for creating plays under duress made him a must-watch. He finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting after leading the Cougars to an 11-1 record. Wilson ended the season with 3,692 passing yards, completing 73.5% of his passes with 33 touchdowns against only three interceptions.
He entered the draft following his junior season. Wilson left Provo with 7,652 career passing yards and 56 touchdowns. The multidimensional quarterback added 642 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns in 30 games.
Wilson was taken No. 2 overall by the New York Jets in 2021 but has struggled to replicate his college success at the pro level, bouncing between three franchises in five NFL seasons.
He spent 2024 with the Denver Broncos but did not play a snap. Wilson played four games with the Miami Dolphins last season and is currently fighting for a spot on the New Orleans Saints roster.
Ten years later
Sitake’s BYU has turned prep stars into All-Americans, transfers into record-setters and undrafted long shots into NFL contributors.
With Martin returning for another season, a recruiting class that continues to trend upward and the Big 12’s profile rising nationally, the next version of this list may look very different in a few years.
For now, this is the standard — and the players who set it.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
