Kalani Sitake and his staff were lacking a defensive back commit in BYU’s 2027 class. However, Sunday brought relief to the Cougars as they finally filled the void with an elite weapon.
Kalani Sitake’s BYU Football Secures Elite Defensive Back Ryan Wooten Jr. for 2027 Class
Defensive back Ryan Wooten Jr. committed to BYU’s 2027 class on Sunday. The New Jersey native chose Sitake’s program over offers from schools like Texas A&M, Florida State, Washington, Florida, Penn State, Georgia Tech, West Virginia, Nebraska, and Minnesota, among others.
“1000% Committed!! @BYUfootball #gocougs🐾 @kalanifsitake @lew_walk7 @Coach_Popp @Bbradley_BYU @BYU_CoachJustin @BYUFBRecruiting @anniebarham_ @KinslerLatish @CoachTyusMoe @247Sports @On3 @SPPFootball @CoachRichHansen,” Wooten tweeted following his commitment.
According to 247Sports, Wooten has received offers from 18 other schools besides BYU. However, his momentum with the Cougars quickly heated up after he received an offer from Sitake’s staff on April 2.
Wooten moved quickly, traveling with his family to Provo to meet with BYU head coach Kalani Sitake. Before his Sunday announcement, he had also locked in an official visit with the Cougars for June.
On3/Rivals listed Wooten as a safety prospect and a three-star player. He is ranked as the No. 80 safety in the 2027 class, the No. 22 recruit in New Jersey, and the No. 761 prospect in the nation, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. He recorded 46 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 1 interception last season.
Wooten projects as a potential multi-year starter at BYU, where top defensive back prospects have contributed early. If he remains committed and signs, he is expected to boost a Cougars defense that posted an 86.1 score in the PFSN College Football Defense Impact Metric, ranking No. 14 nationally last season.
Wooten’s commitment also marks a notable recruiting win for BYU, as New Jersey has rarely served as a pipeline for the program. The last Cougar from the Garden State was offensive lineman Ford Poston from Bloomfield.
Wooten is also the first cornerback commit since Lewis Walker took over as cornerbacks coach earlier this year. The high school standout will have the chance to develop under a coach with 11 years of experience working with college defensive backs.
“I’ve known Lewis for a long time, ever since he was a player for me at Utah,” Sitake said via KSL Sports. “He has a strong expertise in teaching cornerbacks and defensive backs and has also been a coordinator overseeing the entire defense for two years. He knows the small details matter and truly cares about the development of the players he coaches. He is from Utah, so he knows our state well. I’m excited to welcome Lewis to BYU.”
With Wooten now on board, BYU’s 2027 class grows to four commits, joining defensive lineman Jeremiah Williams, running back Ezra Sanelivi, and athlete Tytan DeJong.
