BYU football graduates 22 players

PROVO, Utah – As the month of April winds down, so does the winter academic semester which means time for graduation.

BYU Athletics will graduate 94 student-athletes at the commencement exercises and various convocations across campus Thursday and Friday. The group includes individuals who graduated in December 2015 along with others who are walking now prior to their official graduation date.

In the group are 22 graduates from BYU football, including both current and former players.

Quarterback Taysom Hill, defensive lineman Logan Taele and defensive back Chris Badger are the current players graduating who are slated to be on the 2016 roster. Badger graduates with a BYU Scholar Athlete distinction, which means a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Hill, who suffered three season-ending injuries in his career, spoke at a banquet Thursday for the graduating student-athletes. 

"As I came to BYU, I had no idea what I wanted to study," Hill said. "It really was a decision based on football. I wanted to come here and play football. The decision has turned out to be so much more than football...The relationships that I’ve been able to establish and the people I’ve been able to rub shoulders with while at BYU is second to none. I don’t think I would have had that experience anywhere else in the country. And that’s what makes this place so unique—is the people that comprise and make up such a great university. I’m so grateful to have been a part of that and to continue to be a part of that and get to know so many people at BYU.”

Graduating seniors from last year’s team include running backs Nate Carter and Adam Hiné; wide receivers Mitch Mathews, Kurt Henderson, Terenn Houk and Travis Frey; tight ends Theodore King and Remington Peck; and offensive lineman Ryker Mathews. Defensive linemen Bronson Kaufusi and Graham Rowley, defensive back Michael Wadsworth, linebackers Teu Kautai and Jherremya Leuta-Douyere, and kicker Trevor Samson round out the graduating seniors from the 2015 roster.

Four players who finished playing in past years have also completed their degrees.

Running back Paul Lasike and offensive lineman Solomone Kafu last played for BYU in 2014, helping the team to an 8-5 record and a bowl appearance, while wide receiver Richard Wilson completed his eligibility in 2013 as a 4-year letterwinner. Former defensive lineman Hebron Fangupo is also graduating. After last playing for the Cougars in 2011, he had stints in NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Texans, Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins. 

Read more about the Student Athlete Academic Center Graduation Banquet