With the new roster limits in college football, preferred walk-on chances have been reduced to a few athletes each class. Gone are the days when BYU would take 15-20 preferred walk-ons. Instead, the Cougars will be selective in the walk-on possibilities they provide.
James Clifford, a California native, committed to BYU as a PWO earlier this week. Clifford, standing 6’7″, played tight end and defensive end for Poway High School in California. Clifford chose BYU over other PWO proposals from Oregon and USC.
Clifford is the younger brother of BYU offensive lineman David Clifford. David was on BYU’s squad in 2024 when he departed to serve a mission in February 2025. David will return from his assignment next year and rejoin the program. He enrolled in the program as a PWO, opting for it over scholarship offers from institutions such as Arizona, San Jose State, Nevada, and Colorado State.
James Clifford might play both offense and defense for BYU. As a tight end, he has a broad receiving radius and is tough to bring down after the catch. He concluded the 2025 season with 823 receiving yards on 38 receptions, as well as 12 touchdowns. He was named the finest tight end in San Diego after his senior season.
As a defensive end, he is swift off the line of scrimmage and disruptive against the pass and run. He routinely met ball carriers in the back after they got the handoff. He led Poway High School in tackles, sacks, TFLs, and forced fumbles. He was named to the First Team All-CIF as a defensive end.
In 2025, he was a first-team all-league selection for both attack and defense.
James also plays basketball at Poway High School. He recently won the 2026 CIF basketball championship.
Given the limited PWO openings, BYU is deliberate in filling out every slot on its roster. The BYU team values Clifford highly enough to offer him one of the few places on the roster.
