BYU Football Cornerback Analysis For 2025 Season
May 8, 2025, 3:15 PM | Updated: May 20, 2025, 3:07 pm
PROVO, Utah – BYU football has talent at cornerback in 2025, but it’s inexperienced.
No one in BYU’s cornerback unit has consistently been a starter.
The man to figure out who will be those top cornerbacks is Jernaro Gilford.
Gilford enters his 10th season as BYU’s cornerbacks coach. This past winter, he was promoted to defensive passing game coordinator.
“For the most part, I’ll be doing the same thing as far as breaking down the pass game and giving Jay (Hill) any kind of suggestions he might want or need as far as the passing game goes,” Gilford said to KSL Sports in March on his new job title. “I’ll continue to oversee the corners and nickels and help Jay where needed.”
2025 BYU Football Position Analysis Series
Quarterback | Running Back | Safety |
Note: As of this publication, no official settlement has been reached in the House v. NCAA case, so we’re not currently capping personnel at the potential 105-man roster limit.
Personnel Snapshot
BYU will look to replace its top two cornerbacks from last season, Jakob Robinson and Marque Collins. Those are significant losses, as both players earned professional opportunities and combined for five interceptions last year.
On a positive note, BYU retained nearly everyone else from last year’s cornerback unit. Part of that retention was Mory Bamba, who went through senior day festivities last November, receiving an extra year of eligibility due to a medical redshirt.
BYU Football Cornerbacks returning for the 2025 season
- Mory Bamba (Redshirt-Senior)
- Jayden Dunlap (RS-Senior)
- Evan Johnson (RS-Junior)
- Marcus McKenzie (RS-Sophomore)
- Kevin Doe (RS-Sophomore)
- Therrian “Tre” Alexander III (Sophomore)
- Jonathan Kabeya (Sophomore)
Gone from the 2024 roster
- Jakob Robinson (NFL UDFA, 49ers)
- Marque Collins (CFL, Winnipeg Bombers)
- Chika Ebunoha (Transfer Portal, Utah State)
2025 Newcomers
- Cannon DeVries (Returned Missionary)
- Jordyn Criss (2025 signee)
- Corey Johnson (BYU Track & Field)
- Tayvion Beasley (San Diego State, Spring Portal)
Who steps up as the starting cornerbacks?
Replacing Jakob Robinson and Marque Collins is no easy task. Robinson was one of the best cornerbacks BYU has produced this century. Marque Collins was an instant plug-and-play guy after transferring in from Weber State.
Identifying the top performers at cornerback will be critical before the season kicks off.
During spring practices, Mory Bamba and Therrian “Tre” Alexander III were the top two corners.
Alhamdulillah pic.twitter.com/qCpiMiiiqI
— Mo (@morybamba3_) February 14, 2025
Bamba has all the tools to be an NFL draft pick with his track and field background paired up with great measurables. He’s come a long way in his development.
Two years ago, Bamba earned his first career start against TCU and struggled, as did the rest of BYU’s defense that day in Fort Worth. However, he took a significant leap in his development last year.
Bamba was one of the top performers in fall camp last August before he suffered an injury late in camp that caused him to miss most of the season’s first month. His snaps quietly increased throughout the season. He had a strong showing against Colorado in the Alamo Bowl with two pass deflections and two tackles.
“I’m expecting huge things from him,” BYU Defensive Passing Game Coordinator Jernaro Gilford said about Bamba in March. “A guy who is prototypical, as far as the size, the speed, the body type, strength, and everything like that. So I look forward to him taking huge steps. He made some great plays last year. So I’m looking for him to continue along those lines and ‘take the throne,’ and try to become the man in my room.”
The other cornerback spot is up for debate. Alexander and redshirt junior Evan Johnson look to be two of the top contenders for that spot.
Year 2 of spring ball ✅ pic.twitter.com/7cDx3mBQpO
— ✞ one of one ✞ (@therriannn) March 29, 2025
Johnson missed the entire spring due to an injury. That allowed Alexander all of the first-team reps in spring ball.
Alexander was a big get on the recruiting trail for BYU’s staff, going into Atlanta to land the three-star prospect, who had heavy interest from the hometown Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and Big 12 foe West Virginia.
Meanwhile, Johnson, a former 10.4 100-meter athlete who didn’t play on the defensive side of the ball in high school, was one of the most improved players in the program last year with two interceptions.
Alexander plays with a lot of confidence on the field. During spring, he showed smooth skills at the cornerback spot and looks ready to contend for a bigger role in his sophomore season.
Buy stock in Jonathan Kabeya
During Jay Hill’s first year as BYU’s defensive coordinator in 2023, he landed a commitment from Weber State transfer Eddie Heckard.
Heckard was a plug-and-play nickel in Jay Hill’s scheme, having known it from his time with Hill in Ogden. He became a star in his one season at BYU, earning Honorable Mention All-Big 12 recognition.
What made Heckard special was his playmaking ability. He was a hard-hitter, excellent at making tackles in the open field, and could generate takeaways.
Spring ball ✅ #GoCougs 🤙🏾 pic.twitter.com/iA0owy1CqE
— Jonathan Kabeya (@iamjonathann_2) March 30, 2025
Last year, Jakob Robinson was in that role.
Who is it in 2025?
The guy to watch is sophomore Jonathan Kabeya.
When BYU’s staff was recruiting Kabeya out of Euless, Texas, they showed him highlights of Heckard.
Kabeya has good bloodlines, three of his brothers playing college football, and a cousin at Oklahoma State.
During spring practices, he was a consistent standout performer, highlighted by defensive coordinator Jay Hill to the media.
It’s been an adjustment for Kabeya as an inside cornerback, but he looks ready to make an impact this fall.
Don’t forget about these guys
Two players that might have slipped the minds of Cougar fans last year were Marcus McKenzie and Jayden Dunlap.
McKenzie, the son of former BYU running back Brian McKenzie, was a standout performer on special teams as a gunner during his freshman season, before being limited by injuries. He ended up redshirting last season.
During McKenzie’s freshman campaign, Jay Hill said that the former Pine View High star had the potential to be an “all-time great” at cornerback for BYU. He was back in action during the spring.
Jayden Dunlap, a former JUCO transfer, had a productive spring last year before suffering a shoulder injury at camp that put him behind the unit in the fall. He enters his redshirt senior season.
Tidbits on the rest of the cornerback unit
Kevin Doe: State champion in the 100M and 200M at East High School. Signed with BYU as a walk-on wide receiver, before switching over to cornerback. Entering his third year in the program.
Cannon DeVries: Returned Missionary from Weber High School. DeVries greyshirted last year. He primarily played safety in high school, where he was clocked at a 4.47 40-yard dash. He participated in spring practices for the first time at BYU and lined up at corner.
Jordyn Criss: BYU landed a commitment from Criss during the traditional February signing period. The three-star prospect out of Arlington, Texas, has the length BYU loves in cornerback prospects at 6-foot-2.
Corey Johnson: BYU track & field athlete who joined the football program this past winter. The younger brother of former BYU player Batchlor Johnson IV.
Projected depth chart at CB for BYU football in 2025
Starters: Mory Bamba / Evan Johnson -OR- Therrian “Tre” Alexander III / Jonathan Kabeya (Nickel)
Top backups: Marcus McKenzie / Jayden Dunlap
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
