BREAKING: Top Player In America Flips Commit To BYU Football Team
In what has become a defining trend of BYU’s 2026 recruiting cycle, the Cougars have built a top-25 recruiting class through multiple high-profile flips—including a stunning double flip that dealt a direct blow to their archrival Utah .
**The Flip That Stung Utah Most**
In December 2025, BYU delivered a seismic blow to the Utah Utes when twin brothers Jaron and Kennan Pula flipped their commitments from Utah to BYU . Ranked as the No. 1 and No. 2 wide receivers in the state of Utah, respectively, the Lone Peak High School stars had been pledged to the Utes before choosing to stay in Provo .
“For us, it was about the culture and where we felt most at home,” one of the twins told recruiting insiders after the flip. “BYU showed us they were building something special” .
**The Washington Flip: Terrance Saryon’s Path to Provo**
Before the Pula twins made waves, BYU had already proven its flipping prowess by stealing three-star wide receiver Terrance Saryon from Washington in May 2025 . Saryon, a 5-foot-10 speedster from Vancouver, Washington, had been committed to the Huskies since November 2024 before BYU entered the picture .
Saryon was candid about why he chose BYU over his home-state school: “One of the reasons why I chose BYU was I felt I fit in the scheme a little bit better” . He also cited the natural connection he felt during his unofficial visit: “Everything felt natural… it really felt like I was at home” .
Wide receivers coach Fesi Sitake had only been recruiting Saryon for about two months before the flip, but Saryon admitted those two months were “the hardest I’ve ever been recruited” .
**The Syracuse Flip That Started It All**
The flipping trend began earlier in 2025 when three-star cornerback Jaxson Gates flipped from Syracuse to BYU in July . Gates, a 6-foot-1, 175-pound burner with a 10.39-second 100-meter dash time, had offers from Michigan State, Missouri, Utah, and Mississippi State before choosing BYU .
“I just knew the development I’m gonna get from Coach Gilford and the trajectory of the program – it was just a great place,” Gates said, also praising defensive coordinator Jay Hill as “arguably one of the best defensive coordinators in the country” .
Gates planned to graduate early and enroll at BYU in January 2026, bringing his “lockdown mentality” to Provo .
**The Flip That Got Away**
Not every flip went BYU’s way. In October 2025, three-star cornerback Jaxson Gates—the very same player BYU had flipped from Syracuse just months earlier—flipped again, this time to Missouri . Gates became the sixth flip of the 2026 class for Eli Drinkwitz and the Tigers, a reminder that in modern recruiting, commitments are rarely final until signing day .
**Building a Top-25 Class**
Despite the loss of Gates, BYU’s 2026 recruiting class ranked No. 21 nationally according to 247Sports . The class was headlined by five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons (on a mission), four-star tight end Brock Harris, and four-star offensive lineman Bott Mulitalo .
With the addition of the Pula twins, Saryon, and other key pieces, BYU assembled one of the most promising recruiting groups in program history . The Cougars entered the 2026 season with high expectations after a 12-2 campaign that reached the Big 12 Championship Game .
**What This Means for BYU**
For Kalani Sitake and his staff, the ability to flip committed players from Washington, Utah, and Syracuse signaled a seismic shift in BYU’s recruiting profile . The Cougars were no longer just competing for in-state talent—they were winning battles against Power Four programs across the country .
As Saryon told On3 after his flip: “BYU has only been recruiting me for about two months, but these 2 months have definitely been the hardest I’ve ever been recruited” . That intensity, combined with a winning culture and a clear vision for the future, made BYU a destination for top talent .
With the Pula twins now in the fold and the 2026 class enrolled for spring practices, the message from Provo is clear: BYU isn’t just flipping commits—they’re flipping the script on what this program can become .
