Latest 2 defensive commitments has BYU knocking on door of top-25 recruiting class

FRISCO, Texas — About one hour and 187 miles apart — and on the even of Big 12 football media days at the Dallas Cowboys' headquarters in North Texas, BYU football made another run toward a historic recruiting class Monday afternoon.

Separated by 187 miles from Stillwater, Oklahoma to Rogers, Arkansas, head coach Kalani Sitake and defensive coordinator Jay Hill received two defensive commitments that has the Cougars' Class of 2026 back in the 247Sports' top 25.

First, it was Braxton Lindsey, the 6-foot-2, 230-pound pass rusher out of Rogers, Arkansas, who did a pump-fake before slipping on a BYU hat over Oklahoma and the hometown Hogs.

About an hour later, defensive lineman Nehemiah Kolone pledged to the Cougars at a ceremony at Stillwater High School over offers from Michigan State and Oklahoma State, among others.

The duo pushed BYU's overall ranking to No. 23 nationally by 247Sports, and the No. 1 recruiting class in the Big 12 with an average rating of 87.92. Texas Tech held the top spot following the commitment of five-star offensive tackle Felix Ojo, so things can change quickly in recruiting.

But the Cougars aren't planning on slowing down any time soon.

"I like where we're at. I think it's only going to get better," Hill told the Deseret News a few weeks back. "BYU in the Big 12 is a powerhouse in recruiting. We can do great things.

"Recruiting with the badge of the Big 12 makes a huge difference," he added. "Talking as an independent, you're not going to beat a lot of the other schools. Now we can battle anybody in recruiting."

Lindsey is the sixth-highest rated of the 18 prospects currently committed to BYU, headlined by five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons and four-star Utah prospects Brock Harris and Bott Mulitalo.

A four-star linebacker by ESPN, Lindsey is the No. 9-rated athlete in the state of Arkansas and a top-40 linebacker by 247Sports who caught 62 passes for 1,139 yards and 14 touchdowns at wide receiver while adding 28 tackles, nine sacks and two forced fumbles as a junior when he moonlighted at basketball.

The edge defender projects as a pass rusher at the next level, wit the ability to fill a role similar to Jack Kelly at the next level.

Kolone moved swiftly to don a BYU hat — and his family followed suit with matching BYU T-shirts — at a commitment ceremony at his high school, when he selected the Cougars over the Spartans and hometown Pokes.

"I want to think everyone who has supported me on this journey," he said before making his commitment.

Kolone is the third defensive lineman to commit to BYU out of the 2026 class, joining edge rushers PJ Takitaki from Lehi and Orem's Lopeti Moala. The trio took an official visit to campus June 19-20 — the same weekend Lyons and dozens of other recruits were also in Provo, and a pivotal date on the recruiting calendar.

And there are still more to come as BYU transitions from Big 12 newcomer to full-time member of the conference, with equal revenue sharing to the other 15 teams in the league beginning this year.

"In the past, it was always about what we didn't have and what we couldn't provide," Sitake told KSL.com after the annual media golf tournament and informal media day in Cedar Hills. "Those were things a lot of recruits hung on to not come to BYU. Those aren't there anymore.

"We're letting them know, we're not independent anymore; we're in the Big 12. We have resources, we have commitment from our administration to invest and to buy into our sports teams — all of them, not just football and basketball — and you see the momentum being created and energy behind it."

BYU Recruiting

Who has committed to BYU football in the Class of 2026?

Here is a brief look at who has already signed with BYU. Check back often to see how the 2026 recruiting class takes shape.

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