10 Backups That Could Slide Into the Starting Lineup for BYU Football in 2025

Casey Lundquist | Feb 5, 2025

Raider Damuni against UCF / BYU Photo

In this story:

BYU Cougars

BYU football is coming off an 11-2 season in 2024. Going into 2025, the Cougars return a lot of production on both sides of the football. As a result, not a lot of starting jobs are up for grabs. BYU was selective in the transfer portal, so of the starting jobs that are available, we expect most of them to be filled by returning players. Here are 10 players that were backups in 2024 that are the top candidates to become full-time starters in 2025.

1. Raider Damuni - S

As the season progressed, Raider Damuni got more and more reps at the strong safety spot. Damuni was taking reps from starter Crew Wakley. Crew Wakley entered the transfer portal after the 2024 season and committed to Purdue. With Wakley gone, Raider Damuni is the leading candidate to step into the starting spot at strong safety.

When Wakley was in the portal for the bowl game, it was Damuni that stepped into the starting lineup. Damuni played a total of 276 snaps for Jay Hill in 2024. We expect him to take on a much bigger role in 2025.

Damuni has the talent to be a playmaker at safety. Playmaking was his calling card during his standout prep career at Timpview High School. Whether it was forcing fumbles, breaking up passes, or snatching timely interceptions, Damuni was seemingly always in the right place at the right time.

Now that he has some real experience under his belt at the college level, we expect him to take a big step forward. He flashed his potential in the bowl game when he came off a blitz and sacked Shedeur Sanders. The athleticism and explosiveness he displayed on that play popped off the screen.

This was a great play call for my son @raiderdamuni
who got his first sack of his career.
Coach Hill was on fire last nite.
After watching all of his interviews leading up to the game I knew Coach aHill’s game plan was gonna cause havoc

GO COUGS!!!🤟🏾 pic.twitter.com/gOq9iItxR0
— #IamJackDamuni 🇫🇯 (@JackDamuni) December 30, 2024

2. Isaiah Jatta - OL

Caleb Etienne and Brayden Keim started the first nine games for BYU at offensive tackle in 2024. When Brayden Keim suffered a season-ending injury against Utah, it was Colorado transfer Isaiah Jatta that slid into the starting lineup.

With both Keim and Etienne leaving for the NFL, both tackle spots are up for grabs. We expect Michigan transfer Andrew Gentry to win one of those jobs. We believe Isaiah Jatta is a leading candidate to win one of the other tackle spots.

3. Jojo Phillips - WR

BYU wide receiver Jojo Phillips against Arizona State / BYU Photo

Darius Lassiter has not announced whether he will declare for the NFL Draft or return to BYU in 2025. If Lassiter does not return in 2025, Jojo Phillips is the most likely candidate to slide into the starting lineup. When Lassiter was suspended for the first half against Colorado, it was Phillips that got the starting nod.

Phillips' ceiling is as high as perhaps any wide receiver on the roster. He struggled at times with drops in 2024, but he was able to create separation when he was on the field. It's easy to forget that he was just a redshirt freshman in 2024, and he didn't play football every year in high school. There's reasons to believe he is just scratching the surface of his potential.

He has the makings of BYU's best deep threat in 2025. Phillips is a leading candidate to lock down the third starting spot at wide receiver alongside Chase Roberts and Keelan Marion.

4. Viliami Po'uha - DL

BYU defensive end Viliami Pouha against Arizona / BYU Photo

BYU loses more production from the defensive line than any other position group. The talent along the defensive line is better than it's ever been in the Sitake era. However, it's also very inexperienced.

One player that could emerge as a starter is Viliami Po'uha. Po'uha could compete at defensive end or he could slide inside and compete for a starting job at defensive tackle. Po'uha possesses the size to start and that gives him a leg up in the race for the starting job. Some of the young, talented defensive ends in the room are just too light to play all three downs right now.

As a recently returned missionary, Viliami Po'uha played 65 snaps for Jay Hill. His production flew a little bit under the radar, but he was effective. He rushed the passer 35 times and he generated 6 quarterback pressures. It was a small sample size, but a pressure rate of 17% was one of the best on the defense. For reference, starting defensive ends Tyler Batty, Isaiah Bagnah, and Logan Lutui had pressure rates of 12%, 11%, and 4%, respectively.

5. Bodie Schoonover - DE

Bodie Schoonover flew almost completely under the radar in 2024. Schoonover was the fourth defensive end in line behind Tyler Batty, Isaiah Bagnah, and Logan Lutui. Schoonover played just 71 snaps in 2024.

Schoonover will be in his fourth year in the program in 2025. If he is going to become a starter in a BYU uniform, this is his best opportunity.

He will need to be a little more proficient as a pass rusher to lock down the starting job. He had just 2 quarterback pressures in 35 tries last season for a pressure rate of 6%. If that doesn't improve, he will get passed up by younger players like Viliami Po'uha, Hunter Clegg, Tausili Akana, and Kini Fonohema.

6. John Taumoepeau - DL

BYU is set to lose starters John Nelson and Blake Mangelson from the interior of the defensive line. Behind those two, most fans probably don't realize that John Taumoepeau played the most reps as a backup.

It's safe to assume Keanu Tanuvasa will start in 2025. The starting job next to him, however, is up for grabs. Taumoepeau is a candidate to win that job.

7. Jonathan Kabeya - CB

BYU cornerback Jonathan Kabeya against Oklahoma State / BYU Photo

BYU really leaned on its experienced cornerbacks in 2024. Jakob Robinson and Marque Collins combined to played 93% and 85% of defensive snaps, respectively. Also, Mory Bamba and Evan Johnson combined for nine starts.

BYU likes to play nickel, so in a nickel formation, one starting cornerback spot will be up for grabs even if Mory Bamba returns in 2025.

There are a few candidates to win that job, but Texas native Jonathan Kabeya is as strong a candidate as any.

Kabeya played 60 snaps as a true freshman and he played in meaningful moments. Kabeya has high-level closing speed and he reminds me of former BYU standout Dayan Ghanwoloku.

8. Tre Alexander - CB

24FTB PRAC 3-16 081.jpg / BYU Photo

Nobody has a higher ceiling at cornerback for BYU than Tre Alexander. If Alexander can put on enough weight to handle the physicality of college football, he will be really hard to keep off the field.

Alexander has elite speed and length at 6'2. However, he was only 170 pounds in 2024. Weight will be the name of the game for Alexander in 2025.

9. Bruce Mitchell - OL

It's not easy to replace a four-year starting center like Connor Pay, but Bruce Mitchell has the potential to do it. Mitchell slid in to the starting lineup when Pay left the lineup with an injury. Mitchell is our leading candidate to win the starting center job.

10. Cody Hagen - WR

BYU wide receiver Cody Hagen against Arizona / BYU Photo

Former four-star recruit Cody Hagen returned from his mission just months before the 2024 season kicked off. Hagen had a good Fall camp and he contributed on special teams throughout the season. With the benefit of a full offseason to prepare his body, we expect Cody Hagen to push for the last starting job at wide receiver.

Hagen is simply too good to keep off the field. He has elite speed, he runs really good routes, and he has reliable hands. He will be a weapon in BYU's offense and we think that will happen sooner rather than later.