BYU Football Newcomers Who Could Make An Impact In 2025
Feb 11, 2025, 1:43 PM
PROVO, Utah – BYU football will have high expectations entering the 2025 season.
Part of BYU’s lofty outlook for next year is due to the high number of key players returning from last season’s 11-2 team.
But in this era of college football, there are always opportunities for newcomers to make an impact. BYU is no exception.
The Cougars were selective in the Transfer Portal, pursuing players with whom they had previous relationships.
While 247Sports ranks BYU’s transfer portal class 81st, the quality is believed to outweigh the quantity, as many of BYU’s transfers will be expected to have an immediate impact in 2025.
Potential immediate impact transfer for BYU football in 2025
Here’s a look at the BYU football newcomers, both transfers and high school signees, who could make an immediate impact in the 2025 season.
Tausili Akana, EDGE
Texas transfer
Tausili Akana has the potential to be an excellent player for BYU. However, his potential impact is currently projection-based, as he only had one tackle in two seasons with the Texas Longhorns.
Welcome to the Family @AkanaTausili 🤙 pic.twitter.com/rx9FmU6veQ
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) December 24, 2024
BYU coaches believe Akana played out of position at Texas, where he was an inside linebacker. At BYU, Akana is listed as a defensive lineman, making him an EDGE rusher.
Akana’s challenge will be to gain weight. Last season at Texas, he was listed at 220 pounds. Since arriving at BYU this winter, Kalani Sitake said last weekon Signing Day that Akana has already gained 10 pounds.
Akana’s speed and intangibles make him a strong candidate to be an immediate impact player. If Akana can maintain that athleticism, as he showed as a heralded four-star prospect at Skyridge High School between 240 to 250 pounds, BYU could have something special off the edge.
Andrew Gentry, OL
Michigan transfer
BYU must replace last season’s starting offensive tackles Caleb Etienne and Brayden Keim. One of the projected starters in 2025 is Isaiah Jatta. That leaves one more tackle spot for Michigan transfer Andrew Gentry to potentially grab the spot.
Gentry emerged as a starter at left tackle for Michigan midway through the season before suffering a season-ending lisfranc injury. He’s continuing to recover from that injury.
Gentry has great size at 6-7 327 pounds and is a versatile lineman who could also play at guard if needed.
Anisi Purcell, DL
Southern Utah transfer
BYU had a lot of success with John Nelson and Blake Mangelson in the interior of the defensive line. Anisi Purcell could fill a similar role as an athlete who could line up at defensive end or slide into the interior.
Purcell played defensive end for the Thunderbirds and had 21 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and seven quarterback hurries.
Carsen Ryan, TE
Utah transfer
BYU needs an every-down tight end who can be a threat in the receiving game and also block. They appear to have that in former Utah and UCLA tight end Carsen Ryan.
Ryan comes to BYU with one year of eligibility remaining. In the 105-man roster era, you don’t sign a player with one year left if you don’t expect them to play. Ryan is going to have every opportunity to be a standout at tight end in BYU’s offense.
The former American Fork High star has started 13 games in his college football career.
Kyle Sfarcioc, OL
Southern Utah transfer
Look for Sfarcioc to compete somewhere along the interior of BYU’s offensive line. He was a starter at guard last season for Southern Utah, but he could also play center. Either way, Sfarcioc steps in and should be an immediate two-deep player with the potential to start right away.
Keanu Tanuvasa, DT
Utah transfer
BYU football landing Keanu Tanuvasa out of the Transfer Portal reshaped the entire outlook of BYU’s defense for 2025. Without Tanuvasa, the defensive line would have been a question mark entering spring practices.
Instead, BYU football has a star in the interior of the line to put them in a position to contend for a Big 12 championship in 2025.
Tanuvasa steps into a scheme at BYU that has a lot of crossover from what he operated in with Utah.
BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill did not hesitate earlier this month to say he envisions Tanuvasa as one of the best defensive tackles in the country this season.
It will be a lot to live up to, but Tanuvasa looks built for the challenge.
Kendal Wall, DL
Mountain Ridge High School (Herriman, Utah)
You have to identify opportunities when considering high school signees who could potentially make an impact. BYU’s defensive line is in a good spot right now, but it can always use more depth.
That’s where Kendal Wall could make an impact.
Wall, a former Mountain Ridge High School star, could provide additional depth.
He was identified by BYU coaches during a summer camp last year as a defensive tackle. When he signed with BYU this past December, he was listed at 215 pounds. So, his first year could be a focus on adding weight to his 6-foot-5 frame.
Wall had 54 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, eight sacks, and two forced fumbles last season for Mountain Ridge.
Andrew Williams, OL
Kirksville High School (Kirksville, Missouri)
Andrew Williams received a lot of recruiting interest from Big 12 foes Iowa State, Kansas, and Kansas State. He picked BYU and is already enrolled for the winter semester.
Signed ✍️#BYU officially adds Andrew Williams (@AndrewW650184).#BYUFootball #NSD25 pic.twitter.com/wJIjAh34Lb
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) December 4, 2024
The 6-foot-8, 280-pound prospect is an excellent athlete at the offensive tackle spot.
BYU’s depth chart at offensive tackle is up for grabs this season, so there’s an opportunity for Williams to make a case to be in the mix.
Next in line newcomers: Saimone Davis (DL), Garrison Grimes (LS), Tyler Payne (LB), and LaMason Waller III (WR).
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.
