BYU FOOTBALL
Dec 22, 2024, 5:29 PM | Updated: 5:41 pm
BYU football picked up a commitment from former American Fork High star Hunter Clegg. (Courtesy of BYU Photo)
(Courtesy of BYU Photo)
BY
KSL Sports
PROVO, Utah – Former American Fork High standout Hunter Clegg will continue his football career at BYU.
Clegg, a four-star EDGE rusher recruit in the class of 2023, originally signed with the University of Utah out of American Fork High.
However, after two years of serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Armenia/Georgia, Clegg had a change of heart.
Clegg returned home from his mission last week and ended up signing with BYU.
Welcome to the Family @HunterClegg 🤙 pic.twitter.com/tcFSLiJPo1
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) December 23, 2024
“When you go on a mission, you don’t know how it’s gonna change you, but for me, my goals for football became even more of a reality for me,” Clegg said to KSL Sports.
“I learned how to be disciplined and work a process on my mission and proved to myself that my College and NFL dreams can really be a reality. Being in an environment where I can work on a process to become great and surround myself with people and things that lift me up. That became my highest priority, both on and off the field. BYU has become an extremely good place for that.”
Individuals who choose to serve a mission for the Church pause their athletic activities for two years.
Despite the pause in his athletic pursuits, Clegg felt his mission service benefitted him in unexpected ways.
“My mission was awesome. I consider the single best decision I ever made and the best thing I could ever do,” Clegg said. “Elder (D. Todd) Christofferson visited our mission and told us that the best way to improve yourself was to focus on others and serve them. I spent my days in the service of others, and although I wasn’t focusing on myself, it actually helped me to improve more than if I were to focus on my own aspirations.”
During his senior year at American Fork High School in 2022, Clegg had 61 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and eight sacks. As a junior, Clegg notched another six sacks.
The 6-foot-4, 235-pound prospect was selected to the Polynesian Bowl in 2023, where he was a standout in the game with one sack and one tackle for loss.
Coming out of American Fork, Clegg had offers from Utah, Stanford, UCLA, Arizona, Baylor, Michigan, LSU, Michigan State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, and others.
“BYU isn’t the same as when I left my mission; the coaches are as good and committed as anyone,” Clegg said.” The scheme has changed. The strength program is elite now. The nutrition has changed. BYU football is ready to put in as much work as it takes to become the best team possible and compete.”
Clegg will enroll at BYU on January 8th for the winter semester and will participate in spring football practices.
He joins a defensive end unit that will look to replace First Team All-Big 12 performer Tyler Batty and graduating seniors Isaiah Bagnah and Logan Lutui.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
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