BYU kicks off Fall camp next week. On media day in June, BYU released a 2022 roster that included 34 players that weren't on the roster last season. Here are 10 newcomers to watch during Fall camp.
Credit: BYU Photo
BYU has to replace single-season rushing leader Tyler Allgeier who is now in the NFL. It appears that BYU has found Allgeier's replacement in Cal transfer Christopher Brooks. Brooks is already a proven college football talent. He ran for over 1,700 yards during his career at Cal.
Brooks enrolled in classes in January and participated in Spring camp. After an impressive performance at Spring camp, Brooks was named the starting running back. Brooks will play a key role in BYU's offense and he's a name to watch leading up to the opener.
Tate Romney is the younger brother of BYU wide receiver Gunner Romney and former BYU quarterback Baylor Romney. Tate was a highly-touted recruit out of Chandler High School who signed with the Cougars over competing offers from the likes of Utah, Cal, Arizona, Kansas State, and Colorado among others.
Tate returned home from his mission in April, so he probably won't contribute right away as he gets back into football shape. He is also entering a linebacker room with a lot of returning experience. However, Tate has the talent to be a star on BYU's defense in the future and he's a name worth monitoring over the next month. Don't be surprised if you hear him mentioned as a standout during Fall camp, and don't be surprised if he sees the field as a true freshman.
Speaking of recently returned missionaries, Bodie Schoonover returned from his mission during the same week as Tate Romney. Like Romney, Schoonover was a highly-touted recruit in his own right. Schoonover committed to BYU over Power Five schools like UCLA, Utah, and Nebraska.
Schoonover has the same mission-related hurdles to overcome as Tate Romney before he can see the field consistently. But he is another newcomer that could see the field eventually this season and put himself in a position to be a key part of BYU's defense in the future.
The second transfer to make our list is Vanderbilt transfer Gabe Jeudy-Lally. Jeudy-Lally was one of the most experienced defensive backs in the transfer portal when he committed to BYU. He played 770 snaps for Vanderbilt's defense over the last two seasons and he racked up 50 total tackles and an interception for the Commodores last season.
After entering the transfer portal in late November, he received offers from Illinois, Iowa State, Purdue, and Colorado before receiving an offer and ultimately committing to BYU. Jeudy-Lally has the talent and experience to see the field right away.
Dom Henry is a wide receiver out of Florida who prepped Nease High School. As a senior, Henry led the state of Florida in receiving yards. In fact, he led the state in receiving yards by a wide margin. Henry racked up 1,590 receiving yards as a senior – the distance between Henry and the runner up was the same distance between the runner up and ninth place.
Henry enters a loaded wide receiver room that might not be looking for contributors this season, but he will compete to be one of the next in line when guys like Gunner Romney and Puka Nacua graduate.
Like others on this list, Korbyn Green enters a room that returns a lot of experience. BYU's defense returns more experience than any team in the country. While that bodes well for 2022, it leaves BYU with a need to find the next wave of defensive playmakers for its first season in the Big 12 in 2023.
Korbyn Green has the potential to slide into an important role when D'Angelo Mandell and Kaleb Hayes graduate. Green signed with BYU in the last recruiting class out of Oklahoma, and the staff was excited by his potential.
Credit: BYU Photo
Kingsley Suamataia is a newcomer that will likely be in the starting lineup for the opener against USF. Suamataia is one of the most physically gifted players on BYU's roster. A former five-star offensive lineman from the class of 2021, Suamataia transferred to BYU from Oregon during his freshman season.
Suamataia was listed as a co-starter at multiple positions coming out of Spring. In this author's opinion, Suamataia will lock down a starting job for BYU's opener at USF, and be viewed as one of BYU's best players by season's end.
Houston Heimuli, who was a captain at Stanford last season, is the son of former BYU running back Lakei Heimuli. Heimuli will make an immediate impact on and off the field. He was listed as the co-starter at fullback coming out of Spring, and he brings his veteran locker room presence.
Houston will wear #35 for the Cougars – the same number his father wore when he played for BYU.
Aisea Moa signed with BYU as a four-star defensive lineman out Weber High School. Moa might need a year or two before taking on a starting role in BYU's defense – he was listed as a third-string defensive end coming out of Spring. However, BYU rotates a lot of guys along the defensive line and he could see the field this season. If BYU's defensive line gets dinged up, Moa could be thrown into an important role as a true freshman.
BYU signed multiple defensive backs as part of the 2022 signing class. Evan Johnson might have the greatest potential of all of them. Johnson ran a 10.41 100m last Spring, instantly making him one of the fastest players on the roster. Johnson primary played wide receiver in high school, so he will need some time to adapt playing defensive back. If he overcomes the learning curve of a new position, he has a very high ceiling as a cornerback.
Johnson won't play defensive back right away, but he is physically gifted enough to contribute in other ways like special teams.
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