5-Star QB Ryder Lyons Reveals Why He Picked BYU Over Oregon originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Tuesday was decision day for Ryder Lyons. The five-star quarterback prospect made his choice between the Oregon Ducks and the BYU Cougars, both of which were hoping to lure the Folsom, California, product in what would represent a major recruiting coup.

Even though Lyons confirmed he would not begin playing college football until 2027, he announced his commitment to BYU on Tuesday’s edition of “The Pat McAfee Show” in a major win for head coach Kalani Sitake’s Cougars program.

Sitake and BYU are in the ascendancy. The Cougars defeated the Colorado Buffaloes in the Alamo Bowl to end last season with 11 wins and a No. 13 ranking in the final AP Poll. 

But Lyons, now the top recruit in BYU history, had another reason for choosing Provo, Utah, over Eugene, Oregon.

“BYU believed in me early..

They were the first ones to offer me a scholarship back in eighth grade” ~ @ryderly0ns#PMSLivehttps://t.co/VgqVXxhhuPpic.twitter.com/DzWoPhoBUv

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 24, 2025

“(BYU) were the first ones to offer me a scholarship in eighth grade,” Lyons told McAfee. “They pulled the trigger on me, they believed in me early, and it’s just crazy how it all comes full circle.”

In his junior year at Folsom High School, Lyons was named California’s Gatorade Player of the Year after accounting for 56 touchdowns. He drew significant interest from USC in addition to BYU and Oregon during the recruiting process.

Upon returning from a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints mission in 2027, Lyons and four-star tight end Brock Harris will join Sitake’s team. Four-star offensive lineman Bott Mulitalo will join the Cougars in 2026, as BYU continues to build a bright future in a loaded Big 12 Conference.

Related: New Details Emerge on BYU’s efforts to Land Elite Five-Star QB

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 24, 2025, where it first appeared.