- Bott Mulitalo and Brock Harris led BYU's top-20 2026 recruiting class.
- Mulitalo, a Lone Peak lineman, committed to BYU over Arizona State, Oregon and others.
- The class includes top recruits like Ryder Lyons and ranks No. 1 in Big 12.
HIGHLAND — Bott Mulitalo saw Brock Harris often, and the two eventually started talking about doing something different.
That isn't uncommon; the two four-star recruits — Mulitalo a two-way standout lineman from Lone Peak, and Harris a speedy four-star tight end from Pine View — would often travel to the same camps, take many of the same visits, and received a lot of the same offers from college football coaches.
During one of those camps, the two drafted an idea.
"'Hey, what if we just stayed home to be hometown heroes?" Mulitalo recalled asking as he spoke with KSL.com after the Knights' season-opening win over 4A power Crimson Cliffs.
The offensive line MVP at the Under Armour Next Camp in Utah might have been on to something. And Harris, it turned out, felt similarly.
So it began. Harris committed to BYU on April 7. Mulitalo, the 305-pound offensive tackle with a 92 rating by 247Sports, followed two weeks later, selecting the Cougars over interest from Arizona State, Auburn and Oregon, among others.
One by one, the commitments started to come in: athletic Lehi prospect Legend Glasker joined in, as did Orem High wide receiver Kaue Akana by July 1. Olympus linebacker Adam Bywater jumped aboard July 14, as well.
The Cougars even flipped two previously committed prospects: former Washington-bound athlete Terrance Saryon on May 19, and one-time Syracuse cornerback commit Jaxson Gates on July 8.
Add in Ryder Lyons, the five-star quarterback from Folsom High in California who committed via the Pat McAfee Show on June 24, and the Cougars weren't just building something special. They were making history with a 2026 class that ranks No. 20 nationally by 247Sports and No. 1 in the Big 12.
"We wanted to start something new — now look," Mulitalo said. "We've got Ryder, a couple of other commits.
"I feel like we're starting something," he added.
Harris and Mulitalo weren't the first to commit to BYU in the 2026 class, and the two-way lineman who projects as an offensive tackle at BYU wants to give each of his soon-to-be new teammates credit.
That's right on down to Graham Livingston, the 5-foot-11 receiver from Ridgeline High in Millville who is the No. 30-rated prospect in the state of Utah by 247Sports — he hauled in 17 passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns in the Riverhawks' 34-14 win over 3A power Morgan.
Mulitalo said each of the commits — and even some uncommitted prospects and recruits who could sign during the December early signing period — has already felt a bond, a certain kinship that goes beyond borders.
One of his closest friends is BYU offensive line commit Jax Tanner, the reigning Gatorade Idaho Player of the Year, who met Mulitalo at a camp and said the two still keep in touch via text and social media.
But it's that way with the whole group.
"Chilling with the boys, building relationships, I think it will pay off when we get there," Mulitalo said. "I can't wait."
While Mulitalo wasn't the first to commit, he was a key influencer in the run of talent that has swarmed to BYU in recent months. A lot of things started with the offensive line, which is how Lone Peak coach Bart Brockbank likes to build his team, too.
The culture at Lone Peak and BYU, just 15 miles apart in the heart of Utah County, has always been similar. Lone Peak offensive line coach Garry Pay has made a habit of sending linemen to Division I football — including his alma mater in Provo — for years, after all.
But with six offensive linemen weighing in at 295 pounds or more, there's plenty of talent for an offense powered by the additions of Utah commits Jaron and Kennan Pula, among others.
"They're so physical," Brockbank said of his offensive line. "I think coach Pay does a great job, and they're a lot stronger this year. They take pride in moving people, and they want to run.
"If we get 200 yards of rushing offense, I take them for a steak dinner," he added cheekily. "It's a motivator."
Mulitalo plans to graduate from Lone Peak following the football season and enroll at BYU in time for spring football in early 2026.
Before that, though? Like his commitment, he's not going anywhere.
"I'm 1000% committed to the Cougs," said Mulitalo, the two-time Deseret News all-state selection. "I'm not going anywhere; I want to be a hometown hero, and be a part of the culture over there.
"I'm going to give my all on the field, give 100% every play — and protect the quarterback with my life."
