-
Eli Lederman
BYU secured its highest-ranked quarterback pledge since 2002 when four-star recruit Ryder Lyons, No. 49 within the 2026 ESPN 300, introduced his dedication to the Cougars over Oregon on “The Pat McAfee Present” on Tuesday.
Lyons, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound prospect from Folsom, California, is ESPN’s No. 5 pocket passer within the 2026 class and entered Tuesday because the nation’s top-ranked uncommitted quarterback. Whereas Lyons will signal as a part of BYU’s 2026 class later this 12 months, he intends to serve a Latter-day Saints mission after commencement subsequent 12 months and won’t formally be a part of the Cougars till the spring of 2027.
Following a string of unofficial visits this spring that included stops at Michigan, Ohio State and Ole Miss, Lyons trimmed his finalists to BYU, Oregon and USC in Could and scheduled official visits with every program for June.
Lyons later canceled his journey to USC, finally closing his recruitment with visits to the Geese and Cougars on consecutive weekends from June 13-22.
With BYU, Lyons lands as a possible quarterback of the longer term with this system that provided him his very first scholarship supply in December 2021. He’s the second-ranked of three ESPN 300 commits in coach Kalani Sitake’s 2026 class.
“They’ve poured quite a bit into me and made me really feel very wanted,” Lyons advised ESPN. “The love they’ve proven — not simply the teaching employees, however everybody there — they’ve proven me simply how a lot they need me greater than some other program.”
Lyons, the 2024 California Gatorade Soccer Participant of the 12 months, would additionally arrive on campus in 2027 as BYU’s highest-rated quarterback signee since Ben Olson joined this system within the 2002 class.
A talented improviser who can prolong performs together with his ft, Lyons exploded in his sophomore season at Folsom Excessive Faculty. He accomplished 67.9% of his throws for 3,578 yards with 38 passing touchdowns and eight interceptions as a first-year starter in 2023, then adopted with one other 3,011 yards and 46 touchdowns by the air as a junior final fall. Lyons has additionally proved harmful on the bottom in the highschool ranks, combining for 1,514 dashing yards and 37 dashing scores throughout two seasons as a starter.
The Cougars have considerably stepped up their NIL efforts throughout the athletic division up to now 12 months, sources advised ESPN. In December, BYU’s males’s basketball program secured the addition of No. 1 total prospect A.J. Dybantsa, a coveted 6-foot-9 wing who reportedly commanded a excessive seven-figure NIL deal.
The soccer program now has its war cornerstone in a doubtlessly historic 2026 class that features in-state tight finish Brock Harris (No. 32), this system’s highest-ranked pledge since not less than 2006, and in-state defensive sort out pledge Bott Mulitalo (No. 105), who flipped from Oregon.
With signatures from Harris, Mulitalo and Lyons later this 12 months, the Cougars would have their first-ever recruiting class with not less than three high 300 prospects within the ESPN recruiting period (since 2006).
For coach Dan Lanning and Oregon, Lyons’ pledge to BYU marks this system’s war high-profile miss within the 2026 cycle. The Geese had been finalists for five-star offensive sort out Jackson Cantwell (Miami) and No. 1 total quarterback Jared Curtis (Georgia) final month. On June 19, Oregon misplaced out to Texas A&M within the recruitment of five-star athlete Brandon Arrington (No. 14).
The Geese are actually anticipated to show their consideration to three-star passer Matt Ponatoski, a two-sport star who visited this system this previous weekend, sources advised ESPN. Boise State decommit Bryson Beaver is one other current customer on Oregon’s radar, with Alabama, Auburn and LSU additionally amongst these registering vital curiosity within the late-rising three-star quarterback from Murrieta, California.
Upon Lyons’ pledge, solely two of the 18 quarterbacks inside the 2026 ESPN 300 stay uncommitted. No. 1 dual-threat passer Landon Duckworth (No. 104) is predicted to commit within the coming weeks following official visits to South Carolina and Auburn. 4-star quarterback Oscar Rios (No. 192) is about to decide on between Arizona and UCLA on Friday.