HOW BYU STUNNED A NATION: Five-Star Ryder Lyons Dumps Oregon, USC for Big 12, Shows NIL, LDS Power

Ryder Lyons, the highly sought-after 5-star quarterback from the 2026 class, announced his commitment to BYU on June 24, 2025, choosing the Cougars over other top programs like Oregon and USC. His decision was heavily influenced by a unique combination of factors: Deep Religious and Family Ties: Lyons is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), which owns and operates BYU. This strong alignment with his faith provides a comfortable and familiar environment. Furthermore, his father, Tim Lyons, played defensive back for BYU, and other family members have attended the university, creating a powerful generational connection to the program. LDS Mission Plans: Lyons intends to serve a one-year LDS mission after graduating high school, delaying his college enrollment until 2027. BYU's program is uniquely equipped and highly experienced in accommodating missionary deferrals for its athletes, making it an ideal choice for players with similar plans. This understanding and support from the coaching staff and institution were crucial. Early Belief and Consistent Recruitment: BYU was the first program to offer Lyons a scholarship back in 2021 when he was just in eighth grade. Lyons himself highlighted this early belief as a significant factor, stating, "They pulled the trigger on me, they believed in me early, and it's just crazy how it all comes full circle." This long-standing relationship and consistent recruitment effort clearly resonated with him. Program Trajectory and Quarterback Development: BYU is coming off a strong 2024 season, finishing with an 11-2 record, which impressed Lyons. He expressed his desire to "win" and noted the program's positive "trajectory." BYU also has a rich history of developing successful quarterbacks, which likely appealed to Lyons's long-term goal of playing in the NFL. Despite being a private university with less transparency around NIL, BYU has clearly shown an ability to compete for top talent. While other schools could offer high-level football and attractive NIL opportunities (Lyons acknowledged the "confusing" nature of NIL money but emphasized his focus on the NFL), the combination of faith, family heritage, BYU's unique ability to handle his mission, and the program's early and consistent belief in his talent ultimately led Ryder Lyons to choose the Cougars. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Rugiet Rugiet Ready is a next-gen prescription treatment designed to amplify arousal in the brain and boost blood flow. Head to Rugiet.com/LOCKEDONCOLLEGE and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE to get 15% off today . Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply. Monarch Money Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE at www.monarchmoney.com/lockedoncollege for 50% off your first year. FanDuel Right now, new customers can get ONE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS when your first FIVE DOLLAR BET WINS! Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.