One of BYU football’s most important acquisitions for the 2026 team may be a player who has been on the roster since the 2022 season. Isaiah Glasker has been a member of BYU’s roster since shedding his redshirt during the 2023 season and making consistent plays for the Cougar defense.
So, why describe him as a roster addition for 2026?
Consider what Cougar fans didn’t see from Glasker during the 2025 season, or, more precisely, didn’t see.
Sure, the former Bingham High star appeared in all 14 games and had excellent numbers, including 67 total tackles, three sacks, and two interceptions. Those are excellent statistics for most players, but given Glasker’s first-team All Big-12 Conference performance in 2024, as well as his exceptional athletic composition and potential, his junior season did not fully reflect what he is capable of.
The reason was entirely due to a chronic ankle injury that he chose to suffer through for the majority of the year to help the club as best he could rather than rest for even one game.
Now that his injured ankle has been rested and healed, he is ready to go when the calendar turns to September of this year.
“I wasn’t playing at 100 percent last year, at least for the majority of it, so I’m really thrilled to return this season and demonstrate what I can do when fully healthy,” Glasker said. “The recovery has been good. I haven’t been medically approved yet, but it’s likely to happen in a month, and I can’t wait to go back out there. “
No, Glasker did not participate in BYU’s recently finished spring practice session, and he most likely would not have accomplished much even if he had gotten a clean bill of health. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound senior is deeply entrenched in BYU’s defensive scheme, and Cougar coaches are well aware of his talents.
And those talents are amazing. Glasker’s size and speed combination allows him to cover a large portion of the open field while also creating strong pass rushes and shutting down opposing tight ends in coverage.
“I’m thrilled to be back at BYU, and, as I stated, I definitely want to go out there and play like I know I can this year,” he said. “I adore our team and the coaches, the program, and everything else that is here. I’m going to attempt to make the most of my final senior year. “
A Legend in the making.
Legend Glasker was one of the newcomers to the squad this spring that coaches and players regularly mentioned during interviews, and it so happens that he is Isaiah Glasker’s cousin. When questioned to mention certain freshmen who were making an impact, the first-year player from Lehi was constantly mentioned.
As it turned out, Isaiah anticipated Legend’s standout spring performance because he saw his younger cousin do his thing from the sidelines with great joy.
“Oh, it was no surprise to me that he could make plays right when he got here,” Isaiah said. “He’s a playmaker who’s already demonstrating it, and I’m thrilled about his future at BYU. “
Isaiah and Legend were quite close as children, to the point where Isaiah regards him as a brother rather than a cousin.
“We were sleeping over at one other’s home at least every other weekend, it seems,” Isaiah said. “And we competed a lot against each other growing up. Yes, he was younger than me, but I did not go easy on him. I knew he was capable of big things, and I adore him dearly, so I think me not letting him off easy helped him develop into the player he is today. ”
Legend is a 6-foot-1, 175-pound speedster who consistently tore apart opposition defenses throughout his high school career, while also doing so to special teams units as a returner.
“He’ll do wonderful things at BYU. “Just watch,” Isaiah said. “I’ve been watching him grow since little league, and I’m thrilled to have him here now as my teammate. It’s going to be a lot of fun. “
