PROVO -- Coming off a third-straight season with 10 or more victories while guiding his teams to an overall record topped by only five teams over that span, BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall announced a class of 21 talented recruits Wednesday that is rated the best of his four-year tenure in Provo.
"This class is a fantastic fit for both the young men and our institution,” Mendenhall said. “I appreciate the trust these young men and their parents have put in me as the head coach and in our common vision for the program. I’m extremely excited about this particular class, not only because of their talent but also their character, intellect and academics standards.”
The recruits officially committing to attend BYU include 18 high school seniors and three junior college transfers. Among the class are four high school players rated among the top 11 recruits nationally in their respective positions, including Richard Wilson (No. 4 Tight End by ESPN.com), Terry Alletto (No. 4 center by ESPN.com), Craig Bills (No. 10 safety by Rivals.com) and Kyle Van Noy (No. 11 outside linebacker by Scout.com).
The Cougars have added a linebacker and two defensive backs from the junior college ranks in linebacker Jordan Atkinson out of Diablo Valley Junior College and defensive backs Lee Aguirre from Fullerton College and Brian Logan from Foothill College. Atkinson signed his National Letter of Intent during the early signing period in December.
Overall, the Cougars signed five defensive backs, two linebackers and one defensive lineman on the defensive side of the ball and five offensive lineman, three wide receivers, three running backs and two tight ends to the offensive unit. Nine recruits hail from Utah and six from California while Texas, Oklahoma, Hawaii, Colorado, Oregon and Nevada are also represented in the class.
BYU's class is rated No. 40 in the nation by Scout.com and considered the top recruiting effort among schools from a non-automatic qualifying BCS conference. The No. 40 ranking tops the Cougars' No. 42 rating by Scout.com for their 2007 class.
A bio and video highlight of each recruit who signed with BYU on Wednesday is included below.
Lee Aguirre
Defensive Back
5-9, 200
El Monte, Calif.
Fullerton College
Helped lead Fullerton College to a 10-2 record during the 2008 season, including a 6-0 conference record ... led the team with 10 interceptions on the season, including two versus the College of the Canyons ... recorded 36 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 11 pass breakups and one blocked kick in 2008 ... named to the All-America first team defense by the California Community College Football Coaches Association ... earned Southern Conference Football Association defensive player of the week after helping win the Southern California championship ... intercepted seven passes and earned second team All-America honors in 2007 ... 17 total interceptions over his career at Fullerton set a new program record ... led the Eagles to the then Division VII semifinals and was named Mid Valley News Most Valuable Player as a quarterback at South El Monte HS in 2006 ... coached by Tim Byrnes.
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Terry Alletto
Offensive Lineman
6-4, 280
Parker, Colo.
Ponderosa HS
First-team All-State ... invited to participate in the Hawaiian Prep Classic all-star event featuring more than 100 of the nation’s best seniors ... rated No. 8 offensive center nationally and No. 5 Colorado prep prospect by Rivals.com ... can bench 300 pounds and squat 440 pounds ... helped Ponderosa offense produce 24.3 points per game in 2008 ... team finished 4-4 in Colorado’s 5A Southern league and 4-6 overall in 2008 ... brothers Nick and Dan are members of the BYU football team ... coached by Randy Huff.
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*Jordan Atkinson
Linebacker
6-3, 235
Martinez, Calif.
Diablo Valley JC
Led Diablo Valley with 70 tackles in 10 games in 2008 ... ranked second on the team with six sacks, helping Diablo Valley rank No. 5 in sacks in the Northern California Football Association ... a consistent threat to get to the quarterback, Atkinson also recorded five sacks as a freshman in 2007 while leading the team with five quarterback hurries ... also ranked second on the team in 2008 with nine tackles for loss, along with three pass breakups and one fumble recovery ... grandfather, Chick Atkinson, was BYU’s head coach from 1949-55 and his father, Dave (1971-73), is still the Cougars’ record holder for career interceptions (20), interceptions in season (9, tied) and interceptions in a game (3, tied) ... coached by Mike Darr.
*Signed during the early signing period
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Trevor Bateman
Defensive Back
5-11, 185
Palm Desert, Calif.
Palm Desert HS
Helped Palm Desert to a 9-3 overall record in 2008 ... a savvy competitor with good athleticism and coveted foot-quickness at the corner position ... has a nose for the football and is dangerous in the open field after an interception with good speed, quickness and vision ... can jam and turn and run with faster receivers on vertical routes with good man technique ... runs 4.45 40, can bench 300 pounds and has 37-inch vertical ... also played running back and receiver ... recorded 25 catches for 320 yards and five touchdowns in 2007 ... racked up 70 tackles and four interceptions as a junior ... also recruited by Arizona and UNLV ... coached by Pat Blackburn.
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Craig Bills
Defensive Back
6-2, 202
Provo, Utah
Timpview HS
Deseret News 2008 Mr. Football recipient as Utah’s top player in 4A ... three-time first-team All-State selection ... 2008 All-Valley Football Team MVP ... three-year starter at safety for Timpview, helping the Thunderbirds complete back-to-back perfect seasons and 36 consecutive victories and three straight 4A state championships ... rated by Rivals.com as No. 10 safety in the nation, No. 2 hardest-hitting safety nationally and No. 3 overall prospect in Utah in 2008 ... leader of Thunderbird defense that held opponents to 12 points per game in 2008 ... had 43 solo tackles among 59 total tackles and four interceptions as a senior ... as a junior returned two of his three interceptions for touchdowns ... totaled six interceptions as a sophomore along with 10 pass deflections and 84 tackles ... defensive backs MVP of the 2008 NIKE Camp in Provo ... older brothers K.C. and Kelly were both former members of the BYU football team and brother Kevan will return to play for the Cougars following his LDS mission ... coached by Louis Wong.
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Thomas Bryson
Defensive End
6-5, 230
Layton, Utah
Layton HS
Earned first-team All-State honors as a tight end and defensive end in 2008 ... named Region 1 MVP ... helped Layton win 5A Region 1 with a 6-1 record while earning a No. 6 ranking (MaxPreps) among all state classifications with a 9-3 overall record ... made a team-high 36 receptions for Region-best 544 yards (15.1 yards per reception) and four touchdowns, including a long catch of 59 yards ... also carried the ball four times for 53 yards (13.3 yards per carry) ... recorded a Region-high 13.5 sacks in 2008 to rank No. 5 in the state ... totaling 33 tackles as a defensive end ... also lettered in basketball, wrestling and soccer ... also recruited by Idaho, Washington State and Stanford ... coached by Jim Batchelor.
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Tui Crichton
Offensive Line
6-4, 290
Provo, Utah
Timpview HS
Three-year starter who missed senior season due to torn labrum (shoulder) ... earned first-team All-State accolades as a junior ... great technician on offensive line who helped Timpview win back-to-back 4A state titles as a sophomore and junior ... helped Thunderbirds achieve undefeated season during junior year ... also recruited by Utah, Colorado, LSU, Arizona State and Hawai’i ... coached by Louis Wong.
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Jray Galea’i
Defensive Back
6-0, 185
Laie, Hawaii
Kahuku HS
Versatile defensive back has experience playing both safety and corner back ... moved to corner as a senior and earned first-team All-State honors ... rated No. 4 overall prospect from state of Hawai’i by Rivals.com and the No. 23 safety in the nation by Scout.com ... a fierce hitter in the secondary ... received honorable mention all-state honors as a junior quarterback ... played his sophomore season at Timpview High School in Provo, Utah, as a member of the Thunderbirds’ 2006 4A state championship team ... two-sport athlete also plays on the Kahuku basketball team ... also recruited by Hawai’i ... coached by Reggie Torres.
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Anthony Heimuli
Running Back
5-11, 225
Orem, Utah
Mountain View HS
Earned second-team All-State honors and was a Daily Herald Elite 11 selection in 2008 ... rushed for 1,234 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging 8.9 yards per carry ... added 120 yards and one touchdown on eight receptions ... a powerful runner who ran for more than 200 yards in three games and totaled six outings over 100 yards in 2008 ... contributed 40 tackles and six sacks on defense ... led Mountain View as a junior with 781 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, averaging nine yards per carry ... coach by Terry Johnson.
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Adam Hine (Timo)
Running Back
6-1, 175
Santa Clara, Utah
Snow Canyon HS
Earned first-team All-State honors in 2008 ... totaled 1314 yards on 224 carries in 2008, including a season-high 259 yards against Las Vegas HS ... recorded 13 rushing touchdowns ... as quarterback, passed for 486 yards, completing 49-of-120 attempts for two touchdowns ... rushed for 240 yards and four touchdowns against Hurricane as a junior ... also lettered in track ... named All-State honorable mention in 2007 ... also recruited by Stanford and Utah ... coached by Rick Seacrest.
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Cody Hoffman
Wide Receiver
6-4, 200
Crescent City, Calif.
Del Norte HS
Receiver with excellent size ... caught 50 passes for more than 1,000 yards as a senior ... recorded seven 100-yard receiving games for Del Norte in 2008 ... named to the All-Humboldy-Del Norte Conference team three consecutive times ... caught nine passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-28 win over rival Fortuna in October 2008 ... contributed to the Warriors’ league titles his sophomore and juniors years ... coached by Lewis Nova.
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Brian Logan
Defensive Back
5-9, 195
Fremont, Calif.
Foothill College
Two-year starter for Foothill College ... an excellent cover corner who is extremely versatile ... can play the run by shedding blocks and deliver punishing hits ... also contributed as a kick returner with good open field instincts ... runs the 40 in 4.4 seconds and has a 36-inch vertical leap ... recorded 39 tackles, three tackles for loss, one interception and six pass breakups in 2008 ... the only freshman and only corner back to earn all-conference defensive back honors in 2007 ... coached by Doug Boyett ... prepped at Washington High School in Fremont, Calif.
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Peni Maka’afi
Running Back
5-10, 215
Layton, Utah
Northridge HS
Played running back and linebacker at Northridge High School ... a strong runner and good blocker and pass catcher out of the backfield ... caught 45-yard touchdown pass vs. Davis in 2008 ... ran for 890 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior, averaging 8.6 yards per carry... also totaled more than 400 receiving yards as a junior ... recruited by Utah, Utah State, Oregon State, UCLA and Boise State ... coached by Erik Thompson.
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Mitch Mathews
Wide Receiver
6-5, 195
Beaverton, Ore.
Southridge HS
Recorded 26 catches for 475 yards and seven touchdowns in only five games after returning from a broken leg early in his senior season ... was an All-Metro wide receiver with 42 receptions for 586 yards and 6 touchdowns as a junior ... also an excellent baseball player who represented Oregon on the Junior Olympic 16-Under Baseball Team ... was a second-team All-State first baseman as a junior and honorable mention All-State outfielder as a sophomore ... older brother Marcus previously signed with BYU and is returning from an LDS mission ... coached by Brad Mastrud.
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Ryan Mulitalo
Offensive Line
6-4, 290
West Valley City, Utah
Hunter HS
Experience playing on both the offensive and defensive lines ... played primarily on defense early in his prep career before concentrating more on playing offensive line ... first-team all- region ... helped anchor line at Hunter ... also recruited by Washington, Arizona State and Boise State ... coached by Dustin Pearce.
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Remington Peck
Tight End
6-5, 222
South Jordan, Utah
Bingham HS
Served as team captain as a senior while earning first-team All-State honors ... made 27 receptions for 389 yards (14.4 yard per catch) in 2008 ... also rushed the ball twice for 31 yards (15.5 yards per carry) ... scored in six different games to rank second on the team with 6 touchdown receptions ... caught four passes for a season-high 109 yards and one touchdown against Jordan ... ranked No. 4 in the state with 14 sacks, including a season-high 3 sacks vs. Northridge ... totaled 65 tackles as a defensive end, including a season-high 12 tackles against Jordan ... recovered 1 fumble ... helped Bingham win 5A Region 3 title with 5-0 mark and earn a No. 3 ranking (MaxPreps) among all state classifications with an 11-3 overall record ... coached by Dave Peck.
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Brett Thompson
Wide Receiver
6-3, 210
El Dorado Hills, Calif.
Oak Ridge HS
Standout receiver hails from the same high school as BYU’s all-time receiving leader Austin Collie ... dependable possession receiver who switched to running back during his senior season ... totaled 694 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging 6.9 yards per carry in 2008 ... scored six touchdowns in one game ... recorded two runs of 70 or more yards ... made 26 receptions for 242 yards and three touchdowns, including a long gain of 66 yards ... as a junior, had 35 receptions for 570 yards and six touchdowns ... had 53 catches for 894 yards and 11 touchdowns to earn all-state honors as a sophomore ... also lettered in basketball and volleyball ... also recruited by California, Nebraska, Air Force, and UNLV ... coached by Eric Caualiere.
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Fono Vakalahi
Offensive Line
6-4, 320
Bryan, Texas
Bryan HS
A physically dominating presence who has played multiple positions on the offensive line ... moved from left tackle to center for his senior season ... rated No. 20 center prospect in the nation by Rivals.com ... also recruited by Baylor, Arizona State, Virginia Tech, Hawai’i and Texas A&M ... coached by Bob Bellard.
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Kyle Van Noy
Linebacker
6-4, 209
Reno, Nev.
McQueen HS
First-team All-State ... Rated the No. 11 weakside linebacker in the nation by scout.com and the No. 4 overall prospect from the state of Nevada by Rivals.com ... playing linebacker and receiver, helped lead his team to a perfect 14-0 record and 4A state title in 2008 ... caught 35 passes for 731 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushed the ball 10 times for 121 yards ... defensively, had 79 tackles (55 solos), 10 tackles for loss, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, 14 sacks and one interception for a score ... as a junior had 69 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, seven sacks, seven fumbles caused and two interceptions while totaling 805 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns on offense ... was an all-conference and all-area selection as a sophomore and was also an all-league performer in track (4x100, 4x200 and 4x400) ... also recruited by Arizona State, UCLA, Boise State, Cal and Colorado ... coached by Ken Dalton.
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Brad Wilcox
Offensive Line
6-7, 265
Edmond, Okla.
North HS
An athletic offensive lineman with great height and excellent mobility ... an outstanding pass protector with a huge wingspan ... athletic when pulling and trapping and quick off the ball ... team captain ... rated as No. 39 offensive tackle in the nation by ESPN.com ... team offensive player of the year ... first-team all-district ... all-state honorable mention ... also lettered in wrestling and lacrosse ... also recruited by Oregon State, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Tulsa, Washington, New Mexico, Boise State and Kansas State ... plans to serve an LDS mission before enrolling at BYU ... boached by Jeremy Dombek.
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Richard Wilson
Tight End
6-3, 222
Spanish Fork, Utah
Spanish Fork HS
First-team All-State tight end and Daily Herald Elite 11 selection in 2008 ... rated the No. 4 tight end prospect in the nation by ESPN.com ... runs good routes, has good hands and can catch the ball away from his frame ... had 43 catches for 845 yards and 11 touchdown receptions as a senior ... ran for 98 yards and two touchdowns ... recorded 30 tackles and three sacks ... had 46 catches for 700 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior ... named tight end MVP at BYU camp ... rated the No. 5 overall prospect in Utah by Rivals.com ... also lettered in basketball and track ... also recruited by Utah, Miami, Tennessee, UCLA and LSU ... coached by Matt Christensen.
2009 BYU Football Signees Roster
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/Last School
Lee Aguirre DB 5-9 200 El Monte, Calif./Fullerton College
Terry Alletto OL 6-4 280 Parker, Colo./Ponderosa HS
*Jordan Atkinson LB 6-3 235 Martinez, Calif./Diablo Valley JC
Trevor Bateman DB 5-11 185 Desert, Calif./Palm Desert HS
Craig Bills DB 6-2 202 Provo, Utah/Timpview HS
Thomas Bryson TE 6-5 230 Layton, Utah/Layton HS
Tui Crichton OL 6-4 290 Provo, Utah/Timpview HS
Jray Galea’I DB 6-0 185 Laie, Hawaii/Kahuku HS
Anthony Heimuli RB 5-11 225 Orem, Utah/Mountain View HS
Adam Hine RB 6-1 175 Santa Clara, Utah/Snow Canyon HS
Cody Hoffman WR 6-4 200 Crescent City, Calif./Del Norte HS
Brian Logan DB 5-9 195 Fremont, Calif./Foothill College
Peni Maka’afi RB 5-10 215 Layton, Utah/Northridge HS
Mitch Mathews WR 6-5 195 Beaverton, Ore./Southridge HS
Ryan Mulitalo OL 6-4 290 West Valley City, Utah/Hunter HS
Remington Peck TE 6-5 222 South Jordan, Utah/Bingham HS
Brett Thompson WR 6-3 210 El Dorado Hills, Calif./Oak Ridge HS
Fono Vakalahi OL 6-4 320 Bryan, Texas/Bryan HS
Kyle Van Noy LB 6-4 209 Reno, Nev./McQueen HS
Brad Wilcox OL 6-7 265 Edmond, Okla./North HS
Richard Wilson TE 6-3 222 Spanish Fork, Utah/Spanish Fork HS
*Signed during early signing period