3 BYU football newcomers who'll have the biggest impacts in 2024

For a third straight season, BYU football finished with eight or more wins under Kalani Sitake and it feels like the program is on the rise after finally joining a conference.

Prior to 2023, BYU was Independent, but the Cougars finally joined the Big 12 and many expected a major step back. The Cougars did see a bit of a step back, going from 11 wins in 2022 to eight in 2023, but that's not exactly a huge drop-off, especially with a tougher schedule.

Now as one of the contenders in the Big 12, Sitake is looking to find guys to fill some major roles and he turned to the 2024 class and the transfer portal for that.

Which newcomers will have the biggest impacts on BYU in 2024?

3. Ryner Swanson, TE (Freshman)

This may seem like an interesting pick because Keanu Hill made the switch to tight end this offseason and he projects to be the starter after a productive career at receiver for BYU and the Cougars also landed Marquis Montgomery in the portal, but I think their No. 2 signee in the class of 2024 is going to be a problem for defenses right away.

Swanson is the top-ranked early enrollee for BYU and he went through his first spring and got a taste of what it'll be like to play meaningful snaps with the Cougars in a Power Four conference.

Plus, Hill hasn't proven himself as a tight end yet so there's a chance the 6-foot-4, 245-pound freshman who held offers from the likes of Florida, Ole Miss, Oregon, Texas, Texas A&M, Utah, and Washington and had some interest from Alabama, Georgia, Penn State, Tennessee, and USC could take over as the starter at some point and not look back.

It's hard for true freshmen to start at tight end and on the offensive line, but Swanson may very well be an exception to that this season.