Jack Kelly was a lightly recruited prospect from Kearns High on the western side of the Salt Lake Valley who was known as much for his BMX racing as his football prowess. He signed out of high school to play for Weber State, a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) school.

Isaiah Glasker was a two-way player at then-Utah prep football powerhouse Bingham, a tweener of sorts who was good at safety and receiver but outstanding at neither. The three-star recruit drew interest from the local schools and not many others.

Just look at them now.

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Having starred for BYU’s 11-2 football team in 2024, Kelly and Glasker now form one of the best linebacker duos in the country heading into the 2025 season, and will be relied on heavily to maintain the standard of excellence established by defensive coordinator Jay Hill and the Cougars’ defense last year.

“Both of those guys have a chance to play at the next level,” Hill said last month.

At the Big 12 football media days earlier this month, head coach Kalani Sitake said the redshirt junior (Glasker) and senior (Kelly) will combine with redshirt sophomore Siale Esera to give BYU perhaps the best linebackers group since he took over the program in 2016.

“We are really excited about what all of our linebackers bring to the table,” Sitake said, mentioning that other LBs, such as Miles Hall, Ace Kaufusi, Choe Bryant-Strother, Maika Kaufusi and Naki Tuakoi, will add depth at the postion.

While Kelly and Glasker entertained the thought of moving on to the NFL before deciding to return to BYU, at least one key linebacker from the 2024 season opted to enter the transfer portal. Harrison Taggart has landed at Cal.

“We kind of saw it coming, but I am not going to speak for him or anything like that,” Glasker said of Taggart, a Corner Canyon High product who transferred to BYU from Oregon. “I love Harrison. He has been a great teammate to me, a great friend. I really do hope the best for him, like always.”

How good can Glasker, Kelly and Esera — who has battled nagging injuries his first two seasons in Provo — get in 2025?

“I wouldn’t even leave it at us three,” Glasker said. “I feel like we have a group of boys where anybody could be in there and make plays. So I am excited to see what we can do this year, for sure.”

Kelly, meanwhile, said the expectation is to be better than they were last year — which was pretty good.

“I think we all believe we can improve,” Kelly said. “And as long as we look at it like that and make small strides each and every week, I think we are going to be better than last year.”

As for Kelly’s rise from BMX rider to Weber State to shining for a Power Four program, Sitake said a lot of it is due to the 6-foot-2, 240-pounder’s fearlessness.

“That guy doesn’t fear anything,” Sitake said. “When you put yourself through all that, on a bicycle, being out here and chasing down the quarterback makes it a lot easier. His motor that he is able to rely on, his explosiveness, his skillset, is something that I think Jay Hill has done a great job utilizing.”

Sitake reminded reporters that Glasker was recruited to BYU as an athlete — he also played basketball for Bingham — and had the genes for it as his mother, Melissa, played volleyball for BYU and his dad, Stephen, played baseball for BYU and in the minor leagues.

“It is hard telling a receiver in high school that you are going to play linebacker someday. So you start by telling him he’s a safety,” Sitake said. “We knew there was something special about him, especially the intensity that he played the game with. … Luckily, Jay (Hill) and I have had experience in seeing those guys and projecting guys in that position, and projecting them to the line of scrimmage, or to the front seven.”

What are Jack Kelly’s goals in 2025?

Anyone who has been around Kelly for any extended period of time knows he does not like to talk about himself, or bring attention to himself. So when he says he doesn’t have many personal goals in 2025, it is believable.

“I don’t really have any goals set in mind. I guess I want to get 10 sacks,” he said. “Really, I just want to be a leader. I want to be able to help this team in any way that they need. I want to be someone that the rest of my teammates can look up to, and if they have questions they can come to me and I will just be there for the young guys.”

Kelly said the Cougars will look to each other for motivation, and not to preseason predictions that may, or may not, place BYU high in the Big 12 race.

“We play for each other,” he said. “The bonds we have built and the camaraderie this team has will carry us. We are not worried so much about ourselves. We are worried about the team, and playing for each other. That is going to be enough of a motivator to want to do better than last year.”

Glasker says sky is the limit for 2025 Cougars

Neither Glasker nor Kelly earned preseason all-conference accolades, as the linebackers on the team picked by media members are Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez, Kansas State’s Austin Romaine and Baylor’s Keaton Thomas.

“Honestly, I am not too worried about it,” Glasker said. “Those (predictions) don’t really matter. It is the season that matters.”

Glasker said his expectations are to help the Cougars get to the Big 12 championship game and then the college football playoff.

“My goals are team goals,” he said.

As for move from receiver/safety to linebacker, Glasker said it has worked out for the best.

“A few years ago I sat down with Kalani, and he told me straight up that if I wanted to get to the league (NFL), I should play linebacker,” Glasker said. “I listened to him and did it, and it has been good. I put on the weight, but got faster as well, and that has helped me a ton. I like playing in the box and making plays and stuff like that, but I can also drop back in coverage. I’m pretty versatile.”