The BYU Cougars will kick off the 2025 season in 71 days against Portland State. As we continue counting down the days until kickoff, today we will profile the player who wears No. 71 - redshirt senior Isaiah Jatta.
Isaiah Jatta's background
Isaiah Jatta has taken a winding path to Provo, but he has finally found his home as he enters his redshirt senior season of college football. After prepping in California, Jatta spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah. His exceptional play at Snow led to Jatta being one of the most coveted junior college transfers in the class of 2023.
As a juco transfer his offer list included the likes of Auburn, South Carolina, Oklahoma State, Kansas, Colorado, and several other Power Four schools. Jatta ultimately decided on Colorado and spent the 2023 season with Deion Sanders in Boulder. In his one and only season with Colorado he appeared in 11 games with one start before hitting the transfer portal again.
This time, Isaiah Jatta chose BYU and the decision has worked out well for both the player and the program.
The 6-foot-6, 315-pound mauler starter three games last year against Utah, Kansas, and Arizona State. He played well when called upon as the Cougars had to shuffle their offensive line at times last year as the season unfolded.
Jatta's potential impact in 2025
Offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick has already indicated that Isaiah Jatta, who changed his number from 50 last year to 71 this year, is locked in as BYU's starting left tackle.
"Isaiah Jatta will be a starter at tackle next year. I'll tell you that right now."- Aaron Roderick BYU's offensive line pic.twitter.com/ckHgetK5R6
— Ben Criddle (@CriddleBenjamin) February 6, 2025
Jatta's impact in 2025 could be massive. Given the turbulence surrounding Jake Retzlaff and uncertainty at the quarterback position, BYU's left tackle role will be increasingly important in both pass protection and opening up the run game. BYU's coaching staff trusts Isaiah Jatta to do just that.
He's also going to be stepping in to a position that has produced a consistent stream of NFL talent. The last four BYU left tackles have all make NFL rosters with Brady Christensen, Blake Freeland, Kingsley Suamataia each being drafted and last year's starter Caleb Etienne getting signed as an undrafted free agent this year by the Cincinnati Bengals.
Isaiah Jatta is going to play a major role in 2025.
Only time will tell if that will lead to the NFL in 2026 and beyond.