The BYU Cougars kick off the 2025 season in 41 days against Portland State. As we continue counting down the days until kickoff, today we will profile the player who wears No. 41 - freshman linebacker Tyler Payne - by providing three interesting, fun facts:
Fun fact No. 1 - He was a beast in high school
Simply put, Tyler Payne was an absolute monster in high school. According to his player profile at BYU's team website, in 2024 he set a new single season Utah state record with a jaw-dropping 174 tackles. He was twice named first team All-State playing for Weber High School.
Fun fact No. 2 - He was a big-time recruit
Given his high school dominance, the 6-foot-1, 220 pound linebacker was a big-time recruit in the class of 2024. 247 Sports rated him as a high three star prospect with an impressive 88 overall grade. He was the No. 9 overall prospect in the state of Utah last year. Not surprisingly, he had other programs competing for his commitment. He took unofficial visits to USC and Washington and held offers from Utah State, Washington State, and Air Force.
FAMILY @BYUfootball pic.twitter.com/arJgkxfxqU
— Tyler Payne (@Tyler1Payne) June 23, 2024
Fun fact No. 3 - He's a BYU legacy guy
The last name Payne probably sounds familiar to BYU fans. Tyler's father, Matt, played punter and kicker at BYU. He was a fan favorite because unlike many punters, Tyler knew how to lay the wood against opposing punt returners. Boise State players, in particular, still have nightmares about BYU's former punter blowing up the Broncos return men.
So that's where Tyler learned to tackle so well! He definitely got the urge to destroy opposing ballcarriers from his father. Tyler's brother, Logan, plays running back at BYU, too. His uncle, Mitch, was also a kicker at BYU, so the family bleeds blue.
While Tyler was a dominant high school player, it's never easy for true freshmen to earn time on the field in their first year in Provo. Tyler is wildly talented, but he's also stepping into a stacked linebacker room, meaning this season will likely be one of watching and learning.