A three-school tight end who found his footing at BYU after stops at UCLA and Utah, becoming the first Cougar tight end drafted in 16 years.
Carsen Ryan bounced from UCLA to Utah before finally settling in at BYU, where he blossomed into a complete tight end who could both catch and block. The Browns took him with the final pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, the 248th overall selection, giving Cleveland a well-traveled but well-rounded developmental piece at the position.
Path to the league
A four-star recruit out of Orem, Utah, who split his prep career between Timpview and American Fork high schools, Ryan signed with UCLA and caught 19 passes for 287 yards and 3 touchdowns over two seasons before transferring to Utah for 2024. After one year with the Utes, he transferred again, this time to BYU, where he became a full-time starter in 2025. The Browns drafted him in the seventh round, 248th overall, of the 2026 NFL Draft, marking the first BYU tight end drafted in 16 years.
Career highlights
At BYU in 2025, Ryan racked up 620 yards and 3 touchdowns as the Cougars' top tight end option, opening with a touchdown in the season opener against Portland State and following with a 4-catch, 63-yard game against East Carolina. At his pro day he tested well as an athlete, running his three-cone and short shuttle drills in the 91st percentile of tight ends all-time.
2025 season recap
Ryan's lone season at BYU served as his platform to the NFL: he started immediately, produced 620 yards and 3 touchdowns, and drew praise from head coach Kalani Sitake as a complete tight end who can both separate as a receiver and hold up as a blocker. That performance carried him into the 2026 draft, where the Browns selected him with the draft's final pick.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Carsen Ryan
- ESPN: Carsen Ryan player page
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Tight End
- Group
- offense
- College
- BYU
- Hometown
- Orem, UT, USA
- Age
- 22
- Status
- active
