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PROVO — Big things are expected from a team's biggest recruits; and after just a couple of days of practices, BYU's top offensive recruit of the 2024 recruiting class is already warranting plenty of attention.
Ryner Swanson, a 6-foot-4, 245-pound tight end, was tabbed by 247Sports as a four-star talent; and after arriving as a midyear transfer, he's already seeing prominent reps at tight end.
Coaches from offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick to new tight ends coach Kevin Gilbride aren't hesitating to sing the true freshman's praises in interviews, indicating a strong possibility of Swanson seeing a significant role within the offense this season.
"It's incredibly unique," Gilbride said of Swanson. "For as big a body as he (has) to run as well as he can, and to control his body, it's impressive for a guy who is 17, 18 years old."
Gilbride didn't provide a player comparison when prompted, but did speak to Swanson's potential: "It's a high ceiling," he said, putting emphasis on high. "Let's just put it that way."
When asked what has made Swanson stand out during the initial days of BYU's spring practice session, Roderick said the Laguna Beach product "runs really fast."
"He's one of the fastest guys out here, and if he can learn what to do, then he's going to be really good. He has really high-end physical abilities that most people don't have."
Before anyone begins penciling in Swanson as a starter, or even as a rotation player, it would seem prudent to understand the hurdles any true freshman has to overcome to contribute at tight end.
Completing blocking assignments with physicality will be a requisite, and perhaps even more so this season, considering Roderick's stated top priority of establishing a productive running attack. Understanding all the nuances in route-running, reading coverages and establishing cohesion and trust with both Jake Retzlaff and Gerry Bohnanon is another crucial hurdle ahead of Swanson.
Indeed, very few true freshmen tight ends have warranted significant playing time at BYU through the years. Former BYU great Dennis Pitta contributed well as a true freshman in 2004, but only after spending an entire season within the program grey-shirting.
Recently, the list of true freshmen contributors at tight end at BYU largely consists of just Matt Bushman (2017) and Dallin Holker (2018.)
Bushman saw a great deal of success during his first season at BYU, hauling in 49 receptions before experiencing a rash of injuries late in his collegiate career that curtailed his overall production and NFL prospects. Still, Bushman resides on the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad despite ending his college career in 2020 with a significant achilles injury that required surgery.
Holker, meanwhile, caught 19 passes as a true freshman for the Cougars in 2018 before serving a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Holker, ultimately, transferred to Colorado State last season, where he proved to be one of the most productive tight ends in the country and is considered by most a surefire draft pick in this year's NFL draft.
Swanson has a ways to go in approaching the production that both Bushman and Holker provided as true freshmen, but there's little question he possesses the ability to do such.
Also adding to Swanson's prospects is the current state of the tight end position within the program. The competition for rotation spots is very much wide open after the graduation of four-year starter Isaac Rex, along with Gilbride administering a fresh evaluation and casting a new set of eyes on the tight end room.
Perhaps just as important will be the amount of reps Swanson is set to receive this spring.
Ethan Erickson, who many considered a top option at the position, will sit out the entirety of spring due to a lower extremity injury, while Anthony Olsen, who is another promising prospect, will be held out during the initial stages of spring with a soft tissue injury.
The exclusion of both, for the time being, necessarily increases the opportunity for reps for, not only Swanson, but also top options such as Keanu Hill, Mata'ava Ta'ase, Jackson Bowers and Rey Paulo, among others.
Criddle's conclusion
Swanson is a different cat, ladies and gentlemen. He's a rare breed.
His high school film is one of the more impressive compilations of incredibly well-rounded and explosive playmaking that I have seen in a long time. Seeing him in person only validates my initial evaluations of his skillset.
He will still need to digest a robust playbook and earn the trust of not only his position coach but also his offensive coordinator. It bodes well for him that after only the third day of spring ball both of his coaches have provided glowing reviews to the local media.
Historically speaking at BYU, the rule of thumb is that it's highly improbable that a true freshman tight end contributes at a high level. The main reasons for this hurdle are:
- They aren't big enough and strong enough to block anyone of substance.
- They aren't fast and quick enough to create separation is the pass game.
- They haven't learned enough to execute their assignment consistently in order to garner the necessary trust between player and coach.
Nevertheless, I believe Swanson will prove the exception and not the rule.
