BYU's latest commitment can play O or D

(Updated)

It was a small recruiting weekend for BYU but it delivered the latest offer and commitment from BYU football coaches on Saturday.

Thomas Bryson, a 6-foot-5, 215 tight end at Layton High School quickly jumped on an offer from Bronco Mendenhall today after making a recruiting trip to Provo one week after taking a trip to Stanford.

Bryson led the state of Utah in quarterback sacks with 23.

Bryson is the No. 20 commit for the Cougars. Coaches at BYU told him they had three scholarships left and he could have one of the three.

He also said he did not have a highlight video made until just recently. When he got it to BYU, they were interested and after his visit on campus, it led to an offer.

“This is a great opportunity for me to be around a great place and people and achieve the goals I want in an education and football,” Bryson told the Deseret News Saturday.

He had offers to trip to Washington State, Utah State, SUU and the University of Idaho. His recruitment by BYU was sudden and unexpected but on his trip with Northern California DB-WR Cody Hoffman (Del Notre High), he came away with the scholarship offer he always wanted.

Bryson earned all-state honors as a tight end and defensive end at Layton this past season. He was also the region MVP. A wrestler, he has a 12-1 record right now, his only loss in overtime in the finals of a recent tournament.

BYU is looking for Bryson to play outside lineback and develop into a rush defensive end. But he could also switch to tight end if needed.

“They are losing a lot of linebackers to missions right now and they told me they want me to play rush end,” said Bryson.

“I’m very excited, this is what I’ve always wanted.”

Bryson said he has been timed at 4.52 in the forty and after wrestling he believes he will bulk up to 230 when time for BYU’s two-a-days comes in August. He plans an LDS mission after his freshman year.