BYU Transfer Targets to Monitor as the Transfer Cycle Comes to an End

Casey Lundquist | Dec 27, 2024

Oct 14, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; California Golden Bears wide receiver Taj Davis (9) runs the ball against Utah Utes safety Sione Vaki (28) and defensive tackle Keanu Tanuvasa (57) in the first quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The first transfer portal window of the 2024 cycle is coming to a close. BYU has brought in five transfers since the transfer cycle opened. The Cougars are still pursuing a handful of transfers, so here are a few names to monitor over the next few weeks.

The transfers that are currently in the transfer portal will need to make decisions very soon. Most transfers will want to be enrolled by the time school starts after the new year.

1. Keanu Tanuvasa - DL

Utah starting defensive tackle Keanu Tanuvasa surprised the internet earlier this week when he entered the transfer portal. Tanuvasa started the last two seasons for the Utah defensive line, and he has two years of eligibility remaining.

Defensive tackle is a position of need for BYU, so Tanuvasa is the undisputed top target for the Cougars over the next few weeks.

If BYU can land Tanuvasa, the outlook of the 2025 defense will skyrocket. He is the kind of defensive tackle that BYU fans dreamed of when Kalani Sitake was hired.

Tanuvasa, who is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has connections to BYU. Current BYU defensive tackles coach Sione Po'uha was the defensive tackles coach at Utah when Tanuvasa signed with the Utes. After signing with Utah, Tanuvasa left on his mission and Coach Po'uha made the trip down the I-15 to BYU.

On paper, you couldn't have drawn up a better fit for the BYU defense than Keanu Tanuvasa. It's up to the BYU coaching staff to close the deal and get Tanuvasa to Provo.

2. Hauss Hejny - QB

Aledo quarterback Hauss Hejny scrambles with the ball against Abilene High during Friday s Region I-5A Div. I final in Stephenville Dec. 1, 2023. Final score was 56-21, Aledo. / Ronald W. Erdrich/Reporter-News / USA TODAY NETWORK

BYU doesn't have a need at the starting quarterback spot in 2025. Jake Retzlaff is set to return, and after taking a huge step forward in 2024, BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick said he expects Retzlaff to be one of the best quarterbacks in college football.

The future of the BYU quarterback position, however, is completely wide open. As of right now, either McCae Hillstead or Treyson Bourguet would be positioned to take over as the starting quarterback once Jake Retzlaff graduates.

In an ideal world, BYU could use Noah Lugo's scholarship (Lugo entered the transfer portal earlier this month) to bring in a potential quarterback of the future. That's where TCU transfer Hauss Hejny comes in. Hejny was one of the best quarterbacks in the 2024 class when he signed with TCU.

Hejny threw for over 5,000 yards during his prep career in Texas, and he ran for nearly 2,500 yards. He is a true dual threat and he fits the mold of quarterbacks that have been succesful under Aaron Roderick.

BYU reached out to Hejny as soon as he entered the portal, but they weren't alone. UCF, West Virginia, Utah, Utah State, and James Madison reached out as well. The Cougars will have competition to land Hejny's services, and they can't offer him a clear path to playing time in 2025, but they will try.

BYU will only bring in a quarterback if it's a great fit, but Hejny is the perfect kind of quarterback to bring in as a transfer.

3. Malachi Riley - WR

Nov 25, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Malachi Riley (10) against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the Territorial Cup at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

There has been little to no buzz between Arizona transfer Malachi Riley and BYU since he entered the portal. The Cougars were pursuing Kansas State transfer Tre Spivey before he committed to Arizona. Now that Spivey has committed elsewhere, we are at least monitoring Riley until he commits somewhere else.

If BYU wants to bring in a wide receiver, it will be a wide receiver with multiple years remaining. Riley has three years of eligibility remaining, was a former four-star recruit, and picked Arizona over BYU back in high school.

Riley is very close to Fesi Sitake and could move quickly if he wants to make a late addition before the semester starts. Like we mentioned earlier, however, there has been little buzz between the two sides over the last two weeks.

4. A Cornerback

BYU was pursuing Utah cornerback Cam Calhoun when he committed to Alabama. Whether it's now or after Spring, we expect BYU to bring in a transfer cornerback before next season. Jernaro Gilford almost always has multiple plans in the works at any given time.

A few years ago, for example, the Cougars added Kaleb Hayes months after the two parties got in touch with each other. Gilford had quietly kept in touch, established a relationship, and had Hayes ready to commit as soon as he wrapped up some courses at Oregon State. Hayes became a two-year starter for BYU.

There isn't an undisputed top target at cornerback right now like Calhoun, but we expect BYU to add a cornerback.