**BYU’s Draft Drought: Can the Cougars Rebound Next Year?**
The 2025 NFL Draft marked a disappointing moment for BYU football, as not a single player from the Cougars was selected. This surprising outcome comes on the heels of an impressive 11-2 season, one of the best campaigns in recent memory for the program. Naturally, this has raised questions among fans and analysts alike: Why were no BYU players drafted despite the teamโs success, and what does this mean for their future prospects? More importantly, will next year be different?
One of the primary explanations for the draft drought lies in individual player evaluation. While BYU had a strong team performance throughout the season, NFL scouts are tasked with assessing individual talent and projecting how playersโ skills will translate to the professional level. Itโs possible that BYU’s top contributors this past season were viewed as solid college players but not as possessing the elite physical or technical attributes that NFL teams prioritize. This is often the case with mid-major programs, where team success doesnโt always correlate with producing NFL-ready talent.
In addition, the transition to the Big 12 conference may have had an unexpected impact. As a new entrant to a Power Five conference, BYU faced stiffer competition week in and week out. While the Cougars handled this challenge admirably, their individual players may not have stood out as much against a backdrop of elite talent in the conference. This could have made it harder for scouts to view BYU players as being among the top tier of prospects available.
However, this yearโs draft drought shouldnโt overshadow BYUโs long tradition of developing NFL-caliber players. Stars like Zach Wilson, Taysom Hill, and Fred Warner stand as a testament to the program’s ability to produce professional talent. Itโs likely that this year was an anomaly rather than the beginning of a trend. Head coach Kalani Sitake and his staff have shown a commitment to recruiting and developing players who can succeed both in college and at the next level.
Looking ahead, the 2025
