The BYU Cougars kick off the 2025 season in 2 days against Portland State. As we continue counting down the days until kickoff, today we will profile the players who wear No. 2 - wide receiver Chase Roberts and cornerback Jonathan Kabeya:
Chase Roberts, Wide Receiver
At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Chase Roberts has always been a big deal.
Going back to his high school days at American Fork High School, he was a high three-star recruit with an 88 grade from 247 Sports in the class of 2019. He was the No. 3 prospect coming out of the state of Utah that year, behind only Puka Nacua and Siaki Ika, both of whom were selected in the NFL Draft. Chase was the highest rated player in BYU's class of 2019.
And he has lived up to the high school hype. After serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Roberts is now entering his final season of college football. In three seasons with BYU he has amassed 116 receptions for 1,784 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was a team captain last year and made a couple of All-Big 12 Third Teams last year.
If freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier can conduct a competent offense, Chase Roberts could have a monster senior season. He flirted with the NFL Draft last year, but came back for one final season. He's going to make the return to Provo worth it before trying his hand at the NFL next year.
Jonathan Kabeya, Cornerback
At 5-foot-10 and 177 pounds, sophomore Jonathan Kabeya's stature might not be as impressive as Chase Roberts', but his potential is just as high.
Kabeya was a three-star prospect from Texas in the class of 2024 with an 85 grade from 247 Sports. The fact that BYU was able to go into the state of Texas an nab a sought after prospect was a meaningful step forward for BYU's recruiting efforts. Kabeya also held offers from Texas Tech, Arizona State, Indiana, and other solid programs.
Sophomore cornerback Jonathan Kabeya with the nice interception in one-on-ones. Kabeya is a candidate to start in his second year in the program.
— Casey Lundquist (@casey_lundquist) February 28, 2025
He changed his jersey number from 23 in 2024 to 2 in 2025. pic.twitter.com/0rfJi26zqz
It's rare for freshmen to make an impact in their first season in Power Four football, but Jonathan Kabeya earned that right last year. In his 2024 freshman campaign he appeared in nine games with four tackles and one pass defended. As a sophomore this year he's going to play a big role in BYU's secondary as he continues to build on his immense potential.