Ben Bywater
ILB, OLB
· Brigham Young
BYU Highlights
- 2023
- Named to Pro Football Focus Preseason All-Big 12 Third Team
- 2022
- Finishes season as BYU's active career tackles leader (215)
- Named to Phil Steele All-Independent Second Team
- Led BYU in tackles with 98 (31 solo), becoming first to lead the Cougars in tackles in back-to-back seasons since current San Francisco 49er Fred Warner (2016-17)
- Made first-career pick-six, in game-changing play as BYU beat SMU 24-23 in New Mexico Bowl.
- Named New Mexico Bowl Defensive MVP
- Recorded his fourth-career double-digit tackle outing with 11 stops, including a sack, in BYU's 26-20 (2OT) win over No. 9 Baylor on Sept. 10.
- Named one of 42 candidates for the 2022 Lott IMPACT Trophy awarded annually to college football's Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year
- Butkus award watchlist for award honoring nation's top linebacker
- 2021
- Named Independent Defensive Rookie of the Year by Pro Football Network.
- Selected to All-Independent First Team Defense by Pro Football Network.
- Earned 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 First Team honors
- One of 26 on the team to play in all 13 games
- One of three defensive players and six players overall to start in all 13 games, starting all 13 games at multiple linebacker positions.
- Led BYU in tackles with 102 (57 solo, 45 assist).
- Led BYU in tackles-for-loss with 8.5 for -16 yards.
- Posted three games with 10 or more tackles and 10 games with five or more.
Personal
- Major: Finance
- Missionary Service: Served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Guatemala City, Guatemala
- Fluent in Spanish
- Parents are Stephanie and David
- Has three sisters and one brother
- An Eagle Scout
- Loves to dirtbike and flyfish
- High school teammates with Oklahoma State defensive end Nathan Latu
Before BYU
- Prepped at Olympus High School
- Selected to the Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News 4A All-State First Team as a senior
- Region 6 MVP in 2016
- Played both ways in high school as a linebacker and running back
- Led the team in rushing and second in total tackles
- Totaled 95 tackles as a senior with 10.0 tackles for loss
- Rushed for 766 yards and nine touchdowns in 2016
- Helped Olympus to region championships in 2015 and 2016
- Also played Rugby at Olympus HS
- Coached by Aaron Whitehead
- Also recruited by Stanford, Washington, Utah, Arizona State and Washington State.
Physical Attributes:
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| Height: | 6-2 |
| Weight: | 230 |
| Forty: | 4.68 |
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Combine Results:
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