Rivals Draws Backlash After Dropping BYU’s Ryder Lyons in Latest Rankings originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
BYU fans are sounding off on social media after Rivals released a puzzling update to its 2026 recruiting rankings. Somehow quarterback Ryder Lyons dropped from a consensus five-star to a four-star prospect. The decision was especially controversial because Lyons fell behind Oregon commit Bryson Beaver, who, until recently, was a three-star prospect and unranked in the top 100.
Lyons, a Folsom, California native, had been ranked as high as the No. 6 overall player in the nation and was widely viewed as one of the elite quarterbacks in the 2026 class. But after announcing his commitment to BYU, he fell to No. 53 in the Rivals rankings and lost his fifth star. That same day, Beaver—who picked up an Oregon offer—was bumped to a four-star and vaulted to No. 44 overall, going ahead of Lyons.
BYU fans aren’t buying the timing.
Dropping Ryder and bumping a 3 star QB above him who chose Oregon when he didn’t is sus. What’s crazy to me is how much recruit rankings fluctuate during the offseason and how little actual games during the season matter. https://t.co/GXd6CpsLYu
— BoozeCougs (@BoozeCougs) July 14, 2025
Lol. Look, @On3sports@Rivals I don’t know how much Oregon is paying you… But it’s definitely not enough. 😭😂🫣💰
Dropping Ryder from a 5🌟 cause he’s going to BYU, and elevating Beaver above him cause he’s headed to Oregon is nasty work. https://t.co/ZiQeV0C65A
— Terrell Williams (@HowInvesting) July 14, 2025
So let me guess this straight…
Ryder Lyons is your 6th overall player…consensus 5 star QB… He chooses BYU over Oregon and drops to 53rd overall player and loses his 5th star from you guys…Bryson Beaver picks up an Oregon offer and gets his 4th star only from you guys that… https://t.co/7lbt7a2tv1
— Echo W4rrior (@EchoW4rrior) July 14, 2025
The frustration is fueled by Lyons’ body of work. Over the last two seasons at Folsom High School, he threw for 6,589 yards, 84 touchdowns, and only 14 interceptions while rushing for over 1,500 yards and 37 more scores. His dual-threat ability and elite arm talent under pressure have made him a standout since his sophomore year.
Lyons remains the No. 1 player in California and the No. 4 quarterback nationally according to 247Sports. He plans to serve an LDS mission before enrolling at BYU in 2027, but he’s already making waves in the NIL space and has a full support team guiding his path.
Related: Jake Retzlaff Not Done in Big 12? CFB Analyst Projects Landing Spots
Whether this rankings slide was coincidental or political, BYU fans are standing firmly behind their quarterback of the future and they’ll be watching closely to see how Lyons performs when the pads come on this fall. If he continues to dominate, expect his star to rise once again.
Related: BYU Adds Three-Star Linebacker Adam Bywater in 2026 Recruiting Class
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.