BYU has a long, glorious history of developing NFL talents. From Steve Young and Todd Christensen decades ago to Fred Warner and Puka Nacua today.
But not all former Cougars are going to Pro Bowl success and Hall of Fame credentials. Of the 20 former BYU football players currently dotting NFL rosters, more than a handful of them are just grinding to find their way onto a 53-man roster or even a practice squad.
While some of the younger undrafted guys will turn out to be "camp bodies" who get released during roster cutdowns, others will solidify their spot on 53-man rosters. Here are the three former Cougars who are going to go from young, obscure talents to key members of their teams' 53-man rosters after they turn heads in training camp.
Tanner Wall, safety, Las Vegas Raiders
Tanner Wall is going to do in Las Vegas the same thing he did in Provo: Win over his coaches, teammates, and adoring fans.
Though the All-Big 12 First Team stud went undrafted this year, he has the skills, athleticism, and mentality to make it in the NFL. The Raiders have a serious lack of established depth at both safety positions which should open a path for Wall to make the 53-man roster. His competition for a backup safety spot include Tristin McCollum with 53 career tackles over three seasons, rookie fifth-rounder Dalton Johnson, and fellow undrafted rookie Devin Lafayette.
Don't be surprised when reports start emerging from the Raiders camp about how impressive Tanner Wall is. And don't be surprised when he not only makes the 53-man roster this year but sees some meaningful snaps in his rookie season.
Jakob Robinson, cornerback, San Francisco 49ers
Robinson was an undrafted rookie free agent with the 49ers in 2025, so the odds were stacked against him latching on long-term with an NFL team. But the fit in San Francisco was good from the start and Robinson impressed his coaches early.
Things were looking promising last year for the 5-foot-11, 181-pound corner. He had survived roster cuts right up until the 49ers' final preseason game. He was in the running to make the 53-man roster after playing 105 snaps in the preseason between defense and special teams, but then he broke his forearm in the team's final preseason game. He was placed on injured reserve and missed his entire rookie season.
Robinson is fully healthy and ready to claim a spot on the 49ers' 53-man roster, though that process won't be easy. The team hired a new defensive coordinator this year in Raheem Morris. Renardo Green and Deommodore Lenoir should have the starting corner spots locked down, while veterans Jack Jones and Nate Hobbs arrive this year as free agents. The path will be tough for Jakob Robinson, but his talent is going to win out in training camp.
Tyler Batty, outside linebacker, Minnesota Vikings
It was surprising when Tyler Batty went undrafted in 2025. He quickly signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Vikings last year and had a solid training camp. His noteworthy play continued into the preseason until, like Jakob Robinson, Batty suffered an injury in his team's final preseason contest.
While an injury at the end of the preseason would spell a release for most undrafted rookies, the Vikings held on to Batty last year. After missing the team's first five games, Batty healed up and saw the field in all 12 of Minnesota's remaining games last year. He played 42 defensive snaps and was a special teams mainstay with 268 snaps, producing 12 tackles and two tackles for loss in his rookie campaign.
Now fully healthy and with a year in the Vikings system under his belt, look for Tyler Batty to make the "sophomore leap" and rise up Minnesota's depth chart this summer.
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