The college football world was rocked this offseason when four-star offensive lineman **Bott Mulitalo** flipped his commitment from the Oregon Ducks to the BYU Cougars. In a move that has sent shockwaves across the recruiting landscape, the prized in-state talent from Lone Peak High School in Highland, Utah, decided to stay home, handing BYU one of the biggest recruiting wins of the Kalani Sitake era.
### 🛡️ A Fearsome Anchor for the Trenches
At 6-foot-5 and 290 pounds, Mulitalo is the definition of a tone-setter in the trenches. He is rated the No. 12 offensive line recruit in the nation. His decision to flip came after a pivotal shift: he changed his planned position from defensive line to offensive tackle, a move that cooled Oregon’s interest while BYU doubled down. “I love just mauling guys, just putting dudes on the floor and showing them true aggression,” Mulitalo said. “I feel like we set the tone as the team on the offensive line”.
### 🏔️ The In-State Movement
Mulitalo’s flip is part of a larger trend. BYU is currently assembling its highest-rated class in program history, fueled by a “staying home” movement among local elite recruits. Four-star tight end **Brock Harris** (No. 69 nationally) helped galvanize the class, building chemistry among commits like Mulitalo and five-star quarterback **Ryder Lyons**. This chemistry has helped BYU’s 2026 class, which also features seven four-star recruits and 14 three-star recruits according to 247Sports, briefly reach the No. 1 spot in the Big 12.
### 💎 The Bottom Line
Bott Mulitalo’s flip to BYU is a massive victory for the Cougars, signaling that Kalani Sitake can now compete with national powerhouses for elite trench talent. The rest of the Big 12 has officially been put on notice.
