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:

Proj Rd: --
Height: 6-2
Weight: 230
Forty: 4.68
Arm: --
Hand: --
Wingspan: --

Pro Day Results:

Cone: --
Bench: --
Shuttle: --
10: --
20: --
40: --
BJ: --
VJ: --

Combine Results:

Cone: --
Bench: --
Shuttle: --
10: --
20: --
40: --
BJ: --
VJ: --