Kalani Sitake just got the type of news that’ll have Cougar Nation on the edge of their seats. The battle for that 5-star quarterback, Ryder Lyons, might be tipping BYU’s way—and folks over in Eugene better pay attention, because Dan Lanning’s been put on blast. With Lyons set to announce his decision on June 24, things just got a whole lot spicier.

CFB insiders Steve Wiltfong and Pete Nakos dropped their expert predictions on June 23, and both are riding with BYU to land the California gunslinger. The On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM) now gives BYU a 60% shot to snag Lyons, and even 247Sports’ crystal ball is all-in (100%) on the Cougars.

So how’d we get here? Lyons, the top uncommitted quarterback in the 2026 cycle, was once thought to be USC’s to lose. Then Oregon swooped in after missing on Jared Curtis — the other 5-star QB who chose Georgia — and it looked like the Ducks might cash in. After all, Oregon’s got the shiny stuff: top-tier facilities, Heisman-caliber QBs like Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel, and Nike money flowing like the Willamette River. But Oregon hasn’t exactly sealed the deal with elite QBs lately. And BYU? They were on Ryder Lyons for a minute now.

Ryder Lyons has deep ties to BYU as well. His dad, Tim Lyons, played there, and his LDS faith is front and center in this decision. After high school, he plans to take his mission trip before enrolling in 2027. That lines up perfectly with what BYU offers: a place that fits his beliefs, his family history, and a chance to make history as the Cougars’ first 5-star QB signee since 2009.

His visit to Provo over the weekend seems to have sealed something in his mind: “The recruitment of Ryder Lyons has seen different programs emerge at different times, with USC and Oregon both previously trending for the five-star. BYU has remained a player in Lyons’ recruitment, too, and coming out of an official visit to Provo over the weekend, the Big 12 program looks to be in a good spot,” Nakos said after logging his BYU pick. He doubled down on his prediction: “On3’s Steve Wiltfong and I have moved our picks to the Cougars. BYU and Lyons have maintained strong communication as of late, and the Cougars have also come on strong on the NIL front.”

Wiltfong chimed in last week: “That’s a program that aligns with his faith. Those connections are strong, and from an NIL standpoint, I expect BYU to be where they need to be in the Ryder Lyons hunt as well.” And don’t let the Ryder’s faith-first mindset fool you — on the field, he’s a straight-up playmaker. As a junior, he threw for over 3,000 yards and 46 touchdowns, while adding 14 more on the ground.

Ryder’s power and potential got Charles Power (Director of Scouting and Rankings) of On3 talking. “Ryder Lyons is arguably the top scramble artist in the cycle… The Folsom High standout is at his best when working off-script. Lyons’ play style resembles backyard football. He’s a reactive playmaker with the quickness to make pass rushers whiff in space. Lyons keeps his eyes downfield and makes high-level improvisational plays with his arm and legs,” said Power.

Now it’s down to the wire. June 24, all eyes on Ryder. Will Kalani Sitake and BYU pull off one of their biggest recruiting wins ever? Dan Lanning and Oregon are about to find out.

What’s next for BYU?

Momentum, that’s what. BYU just wrapped one of its biggest recruiting weekends in recent memory, and it wasn’t just about Ryder Lyons. The Cougars hosted 16 official visitors — 10 of them still on the fence — and made sure Provo felt like the place to be. Wide receiver Graham Livingston already jumped in, giving BYU a head start. But it’s the names beyond Livingston that have fans fired up.

Take Jax Tanner, for example. Nearly a four-star offensive lineman, with offers from the likes of Michigan, Tennessee, and Oregon — and BYU might just snag him. Or Kaue Akana, a versatile athlete who’s got Alabama, USC, and Oklahoma on his trail, but left Provo impressed. Word is, BYU’s making moves with cornerback Jaxson Gates, who could flip soon, while defensive lineman Prince Williams is eyeing July 4 for his big decision.

Right now, BYU’s sitting on 12 commits. But don’t expect that to stay static. Even the ‘low end’ scenario — where BYU lands just a handful of lower-rated guys from this group — would net a class that ranks 55th nationally, a mark that would’ve been a standout class back in BYU’s independence days. But this isn’t about the floor — it’s about the ceiling.

And that ceiling? It’s starting to look sky-high. If BYU lands the bulk of these visitors, including Ryder Lyons, Jax Tanner, and Kaue Akana, the 2026 class could go down as the highest-rated in school history. Add in potential flips down the stretch — a BYU specialty in recent cycles — and the Cougars could stack up 25+ commits and push into the top 25 nationally. The star power, the momentum, the faith-fueled fit — it’s all aligning. This could be the recruiting class that changes BYU football’s future.