BYU Football: 5 Recruits to Keep a Close Eye On In the Coming Months

Looking ahead to BYU football's recruiting class of 2023, keep a close eye on these five names.

While the 2022 recruiting class is in the books, the recruiting cycle is never truly over for BYU (or any other college football team, for that matter). With Spring Ball about to start, the coaches will also be turning their attention to the class of 2023.

BYU has already extended nearly 40 offers to recruits from the class of 2023, thus far earning commitments from Pokaiaua Haunga and Hezekiah Anahu-Ambrosio, both of whom are 3-star athletes from Provo, Utah’s Timpview High School.

Of course, just because Kalani Sitake’s staff have already extended a large number of offers, doesn’t mean that their work is done. The Cougars extended 79 offers to the class of 2022, not counting transfer portal recruits.

Needless to say, there are a lot more football players that the Cougars are undoubtedly keeping an eye on, but haven’t yet offered. Keep a look out for these potential recruits to snag scholarship offers from BYU in the coming months.

1. Jackson Brousseau

While BYU has already offered highly-touted quarterback Nicholaus Iamalaeava as well as 3-star prospect Javance Tupouata-Johnson, the Cougars will likely be taking a good look at Lehi High School’s Jackson Brousseau this spring.

At 6-5 and 215 pounds, Brousseau has impressive size, as well as a powerful arm and great accuracy. He led Lehi High School to a dominating performance in the Utah 5A State Football Championship, where he threw for four touchdowns in a 35-6 win.

To date, Brousseau’s only offer is from Colorado State, but this is likely to change as the spring recruiting cycle ramps up. Brousseau’s accuracy in a pass-heavy offense make him an enticing prospect for the Cougars as he heads into his senior season.

2. Emmanuel Waller

A four-star weakside defensive end out of Chelsea, Alabama, Waller has already been to BYU on an unofficial visit to attend the game against Boise State. The defensive front is an area that could certainly use some extra help, particularly given the rash of injuries the Cougars experienced on the defensive side of the ball during the 2021 season.

Waller does not yet have an offer from BYU, but he has received offers from several schools in the Southeast, including Mississippi State, West Virginia and Memphis. Waller has also attended camp at Auburn.

Competing at Alabama's 6A level, Waller recorded 66 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and four sacks during his junior season, in addition to a blocked kick and fumble recovery. Hopefully BYU’s initial interest will turn into a scholarship offer.

3. Ja’Kobi Lane

A four-star wide receiver out of Arizona, Ja’Kobi Lane was also in attendance for BYU’s 2021 game against the Boise State Broncos. Like Waller, Lane has not yet received an official offer from BYU, though he has already received a handful of P5 scholarship offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Iowa State.

At 6-5 and 175 pounds, Lane has the kind of height that has been a big boost to the Cougars’ receiving success in the past. Lane totaled 990 receiving yards in the 2021 season, averaging 76.2 yards per game.

While the Cougars already have plenty of talent at the wide receiver position, they will likely be looking to replace talented players such as Gunner Romney after the 2022 season. A talented wide receiver like Lane could be another great weapon in BYU’s offense.

4. Crew McChensey

As you might guess from the name, Crew McChesney is the younger brother of current BYU running back Jackson McChesney and former defensive back Austin McChesney.

A three-star athlete out of Lone Peak High School, McChesney caught the game winning touchdown pass in the Utah 6A State Championship against local powerhouse Corner Canyon. McChesney totaled 192 yards and three touchdowns in that game off six catches, highlighting his big play ability.

Thus far, McChesney’s only official offer comes from Nevada, though BYU and Utah State have both expressed interest. At 5-10, McChesney’s height could be viewed as a disadvantage, though his ability to get behind the secondary to make big plays is certainly noteworthy.

BYU is big on family connections, especially under Kalani Sitake. Don’t be surprised to see McChesney get an offer from BYU sooner rather than later.

5. JR Sia

The offensive line has turned into a major point of strength for BYU over the past few seasons, and JR Sia could help to continue that trend. The three-star OT out of Mountain Ridge High School in Herriman, Utah is an impressive 6-6, 308 pounds, and is considered to be one of the top ten players from the state of Utah for the 2023 class by 24/7 Sports.

Sia attended BYU’s thrilling game against UVA during the 2021 season, but is yet to receive an offer from the Cougars. He has received scholarship offers from Utah, Utah State, and Nebraska. If BYU is looking to add further depth to the offensive line, expect them to extend an offer before their in-state rivals can start swaying him further.

BYU’s 2022 recruiting class was one of its highest-ranked in years, no doubt helped by back-to-back Top 25 seasons and the Cougars’ pending entrance to the Big 12. With preseason hype already building for a team that will be returning a lot of talent, it will be exciting to see how Kalani Sitake and his staff ride the wave of momentum to keep ramping up the recruiting success.