BYU Football: How Fesi Sitake Persuaded a 4-Star Wide Receiver to Choose BYU
PROVO — BYU has made significant progress recently in attracting and developing NFL-caliber receivers, catching the attention of top recruits.
LaMason Waller is a prime example of this trend.
Waller, a 6-foot-2, 170-pound wide receiver from Hesperia, California, is rated as a four-star prospect by 247Sports. He announced his commitment to BYU on Friday, choosing it over many prestigious programs both regionally and nationally. Waller’s decision was heavily influenced by the strong relationships he built, especially with BYU receivers coach Fesi Sitake.
“It’s been a bit chaotic, but I learned to go where you want to and not (necessarily) the big-name schools,” Waller said in an interview with ESPN 960 a little over a week before his commitment announcement. “Get to know all these great coaches and build bonds with them, because you never know what’s going to happen in college football.”
Waller has become familiar with where BYU stands through his initial introduction to Fesi Sitake and by witnessing the recent success of former BYU receiver Puka Nacua at the professional level. Both of these aspects played big in the Cougars’ favor in securing his commitment.
Strong first impression
Long before Nacua began his impressive rookie season with the Los Angeles Rams, Waller started learning about BYU from Tim McTyer, a former standout Cougar receiver who later became a teacher at Waller’s junior high.
McTyer, one of the top cover cornerbacks in BYU’s history, spoke highly of the school and instilled good habits in Waller. “He always made sure I did my work and didn’t mess around,” Waller said. “He was tough on us, but we appreciate it now.”
With McTyer’s influence, it made sense for Waller to visit BYU during a recruiting trip to Utah. During his visit, he met Sitake, and they immediately connected.
“That was the first time I met him, and from that conversation, I realized he’s genuine,” Waller said. “Seeing what he did with Puka and how he relates to me made a big impact.”
Strengthened impressions
Fesi Sitake has consistently kept in touch with Waller since their initial meeting, leading to Waller’s official visit earlier this month and his eventual commitment to the Cougars.
Waller credits his strong relationship with Sitake as the main reason he remained interested in BYU despite offers from other programs.
“It’s really just my relationship with Fesi; that’s my dude,” Waller said. “I’ve liked him since I was a sophomore visiting. We’ve always talked once or twice a week, so he’s my guy.”
Adding to BYU’s appeal is the coaching staff’s stability and their recent success in developing professional talent.
“I know he’ll be my coach for four years if I go to BYU, which is really important,” Waller said.
Waller has also formed connections with current BYU players, especially freshman quarterback Noah Lugo, whom he’s known since he was six years old.
A legit four-star talent
While many four-star receivers boast elite top-end speed, Waller isn’t necessarily one of them, similar to several standout NFL receivers. For instance, Nacua ran a 4.57 40-yard dash at his BYU pro day. Waller compares himself to a top NFL pass-catcher known more for skill than speed.
“I’ve been improving my route running a lot. I see myself as a Keenan Allen type — not the fastest, but with great routes and the ability to get open and create separation,” Waller said.
With his height, ball skills, and precise route-running, Waller has achieved significant success in the prep ranks, making him an appealing prospect for college coaches.
“I think I’m a strong deep threat with sure hands and crisp routes. That’s what I bring as a receiver and a football player,” Waller said.
Criddle’s conclusion
The receiver room, historically, has been one of the positions that rarely, if ever, produces NFL talent. In the modern era (since 2006), the following are BYU receivers that were rostered or placed on a practice squad in the NFL:
- Puka Nacua
- Dax Milne
- Jordan Leslie
- Mitch Mathews
- Austin Collie
- Todd Watkins
The list is obviously not as long as any BYU fan would like, but I believe the list will be changing in the years to come. Sitake has been the wide receivers coach since 2018 and has already produced two NFL draft picks in both Nacua and Milne.
The receiver room is, arguably, the most talented room on the roster; that has everything to do with Sitake. Waller is bought into BYU, but he’s committed to Sitake.
