2023 Fall Camp: Practice 8 and NFL Preview

After an off day Wednesday, BYU returned to the practice field on Thursday morning for its eighth practice of fall camp. Thursday also marks week one of the NFL Preseason kicking off.

2023 Fall Camp: Practice 8 and NFL Preview2023 Fall Camp: Practice 8 and NFL Preview

PROVO, Utah — After an off day Wednesday, BYU returned to the practice field on Thursday morning for its eighth practice of fall camp. Thursday also marks week one of the NFL Preseason kicking off. 

Practice went with shoulder pads for lighter action than the previous two days of full pads at camp, but the Cougars are expected go full contact again over the weekend. 

Check out the 2023 Fall Camp Exposure Gallery from BYU Photo. 

BYU currently has 21 players on NFL rosters during fall camp. Most recently, the Cougars had three NFL Draft picks in 2023, led by offensive tackle Blake Freeland to the Indianapolis Colts (4th round), quarterback Jaren Hall to the Minnesota Vikings (5th round) and wide receiver Puka Nacua to the Los Angeles Rams (5th round). 

In addition to the last draft picks in 2023, running back Christopher Brooks signed with the Miami Dolphins while two cornerbacks reached deals, with Kaleb Hayes inking an agreement with the Jacksonville Jaguars and D’Angelo Mandell heading to Dallas with the Cowboys from last year's squad.

Last week, the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns met up in Canton, Ohio, in the Hall of Fame Game to start the preseason. Former BYU quarterback and No. 2 overall pick quarterback Zach Wilson got the start for the Jets, going 3 of 5 for 65 yards, including a 57-yarder for the highight reel. 

NFL PRESEASON STARTS
Tonight, two games are on top to kick off week one, featuring Hall for the Minnesota Vikings expected to get some action under center against Seattle as he competes for the backup spot behind incument Minnesota starter, Kirk Cousins. 

The 6-foot, 207-pound Hall was selected 164th overall by the Vikings after he finished his BYU career No. 1 in career interception avoidance percentage with 52 touchdowns to 11 interceptions and a pass efficiency rating of 158.2 (No. 4 all-time at BYU). Hall racked up 6,174 total passing yards and ran for 796 yards and nine scores.

Jaren Hall Offers Early Impressions From His First NFL Training Camp

In addition to Hall on Thursday night, former defensive tackle, Khyiris Tonga has been making noise for the Vikings in preseason camp, Pro Football Focus named the 6-foot-4, 338-pounder the breakout candidate for Minnesota this year to have a big year.

Pro Football Focus recently said:
“The Vikings brought the third-year defensive lineman back on a team-friendly one-year deal, but he is expected to play a big role on the Minnesota defense as a starting interior defender.

While he only played 300 snaps for the Vikings in 2022, he carved out a role as their top interior run defender. His 73.3 run-defense grade ranked 16th among interior defenders, and the former seventh-round pick can take another leap in his first full season as a starter in 2023.”

Another matchup Friday provides Cougar fans some intrigue with two of the last BYU running backs going head to head in Tyler Allgeier for the Atlanta Falcons against Christopher Brooks and the Miami Dolphins. 

Allgeier returns to the Falcons in 2023 after a rookie season where he became the first BYU player to rush for 1,000 yards in the NFL. Allgeier was drafted in the fifth round in 2022 by the Falcons after a career where he ran for 2,899 yards, including a senior year in 2021 with a school-record 1,601 yards and 23 touchdowns.

Brooks signed with Miami as an undrafted free agent after running for 817 yards and 130 carries for an average of 6.28 yards in 2022 for the Cougars. 

Tyler Allgeier Top Plays 2022

Sunday features some of BYU's headliners in the NFL, including one of the league's top linebackers in Fred Warner taking the San Francisco 49ers to Las Vegas for a matchup with the Raiders. 

Warner was recently named No. 15 in the NFL's top 100 players list for 2023. The former BYU star has frequently been referred to as the quarterback of the 49ers defense and is one of the driving forces of the league's reigning No. 1 overall defense. The linebacker closed out the 2022 campaign as the team's leading tackler and has been tabbed as the NFL's best linebacker by several outlets, including ESPN and Pro Football Focus. In 2022, Warner put together an impressive stat line, racking up 130 total tackles (three tackles for loss), six quarterback hits, 2.0 sacks, 10 passes defended, an interception and a forced fumble.

NFL Top 100: Fred Warner #15

Also in action Sunday, one of the most versatile players in the NFL, former BYU quarterback Taysom Hill is reunited with running back Jamaal Williams as teammates for the New Orleans Saints, matching up against former Cougar tight end Matt Bushman, led by another former BYU alum in head coach Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Reid is coming off his second Super Bowl title leading the Chiefs after last season's 38-35 win over the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. 

Other games on Friday and Saturday include James Empey, recently picked up by the Green Bay Packers, Chris Wilcox for the Pittsburgh Steelers at Tampa Bay, along with running back Ty'Son Williams with Arizona hosting Denver and a matchup between former Cougars in wideout Dax Milne, playing for Washington against linebacker Sione Takitaki and the Cleveland Browns. 

On Saturday, the newest offensive lineman in the league for the Cougars, Blake Freeland should get his first NFL reps with the Indianapolis Colts as he faces former BYU safety Zayne Anderson who signed with Buffalo in the offseason. 

The Jets are back in action with Wilson going against his former left tackle, Brady Christensen and the Carolina Panthers. 

BYU's recent cornerback signees in the league, Kaleb Hayes (Jacksonville) and D'Angelo Mandell (Dallas) square off Saturday.

Two players that might actually go head-to-head on the field, now veteran corner Michael Davis for the Chargers plays against wide receiver Puka Nacua and the Rams meet in Los Angeles.