Former BYU football starter Weylin Lapuaho has entered the NCAA transfer portal following a brief stint with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins, according to reports by Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports and Joe Tipton of On3. The 6-foot-4, 310-pound offensive lineman retains one final year of collegiate eligibility.
The Legislative Window Driving Collegiate Retention
Here is the math. At the end of July, a Colorado judge issued a legal ruling establishing that collegiate athletes who graduated from high school in 2022 and exhausted their athletic eligibility this year are legally permitted to compete for one additional season. The following day, Casey Lundquist of BYU On SI identified Lapuaho and men’s basketball player Keba Keita as the primary Cougar athletes impacted by the ruling.
Keita entered the transfer portal Wednesday morning, followed by Lapuaho’s portal entry Wednesday evening as reported by CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz. Both athletes pursued professional opportunities during the summer—Lapuaho with NFL minicamps and Keita participating in the NBA Summer League with the Indiana Pacers—before electing to test their remaining collegiate optionality.
The Bottom Line
- Roster Dynamics: Lapuaho brings three years of starting experience at the collegiate level, having starred for the Utah State Aggies as a freshman in 2022 before anchoring the BYU offensive line from 2023 to 2025.
- Personnel Shifts: As Jay Drew of the Deseret News reported Wednesday night, BYU has already advanced its fall camp preparations, with Sonny Makasini competing to lock down the left guard vacancy left by Lapuaho’s departure.
Evaluating the Offensive Line Value Proposition
Coming out of spring camp, BYU coaching staff noted that four of five starting positions along the offensive line were solidified, leaving Lapuaho’s former left guard slot as the primary variable, according to BYU On SI.
| Player | Role / Expected Status | Background |
|---|---|---|
| Sonny Makasini | Competing for Left Guard Starter Role | Stepping into the vacancy created by Lapuaho’s portal entry |
| Bruce Mitchell | Expected Starter | Core unit member during fall camp preparations |
| Andrew Gentry | Expected Starter | Primary unit trenches anchor |
| Kyle Sfarcioc | Expected Starter | Returning contributor along the front five |
| Paki Finau | Expected Starter | Integrated into starting line projections |
| Trevin Ostler | Featured Second Unit Member | Key depth piece for offensive trench rotation |
While Lapuaho could theoretically return to the program to reclaim his previous starting role, fall camp is more than halfway over. The coaching staff has already begun structuring rotations around Makasini, Bruce Mitchell, Andrew Gentry, Kyle Sfarcioc, and Paki Finau, with Trevin Ostler anchoring the second unit.
Assessing the Collegiate Free Agency Landscape
Lapuaho’s profile—backed by three years of starting experience across Utah State and BYU, alongside professional evaluations with the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins—offers prospective programs instant veteran stabilization.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
