The BYU Cougars kick off the 2025 season in 48 days against Portland State. As we continue counting down the days until kickoff, today we will profile the player who wears No. 48 - redshirt junior defensive end Bodie Schoonover - by providing three interesting, fun facts:
Fun fact No. 1 - He was BYU's highest-rated recruit in 2020
The American Fork product was a three-star player in the class of 2020 with an 88 rating from 247 Sports. He was the No. 5 player in the state of Utah that year. While we as BYU fans have become more accustomed over the last couple of years of the Cougars landing near four-star talents (and now five-stars like Ryder Lyons), it was a rarity back in 2020. Bodie was the Cougars highest-rated recruit in the class of 2020 and because of this has been subject to high expectations for the last half decade.
Interestingly, KSL Sports reported that he initially committed to BYU before playing a single high school varsity game. Then as his profile rose, he decommitted from BYU and was seriously considering UCLA, before re-committing to the Cougars. Man, it was tough to keep even in-state, active LDS kids back in the days of football independence. So glad those days are over.
Fun fact No. 2 - He's a returned missionary
The reason he was part of the class of 2020 and is now only entering his redshirt junior season is because he served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. According to his player profile at BYU's website he served in Texas as well as Cape Town, South Africa from 2020 through 2022.
Spent my day off today with my trainer working on proper wrap up technique. pic.twitter.com/33RJ7K8UY5
— bodie schoonover (@BodieSchoonover) November 29, 2021
Fun fact No. 3 - He's probably going to start, and he definitely needs to deliver
High expectations have always followed Bodie Schoonover because of his recruiting profile. Over the course of three seasons he has appeared in 22 games, including all 13 last year, but has only recorded six tackles and no sacks thus far. This is the season for the 6-foot-3, 265-pound redshirt junior to break out.
Both Ourlads and the Deseret News have projected him to start at defensive end this year. In previous seasons, BYU defensive ends were put in a tough position because of the relative weakness of the team's interior defensive line. With little pressure or collapsing pockets coming from the inside, opposing teams were able to double team players coming off the edge. That's going to change in 2025.
Transfers Keanu Tanuvasa and Justin Kirkland have the potential for BYU to field its strongest interior defensive line in recent memory. Throw in a couple of excellent linebackers in Isaiah Glasker and Jack Kelly, and opposing offensive lines are going to have their hands full from all angles. This should give Schoonover ample opportunity to shine as he translates his potential and experience into dominance in 2025.