Here are 5 transfers and 2 freshmen to keep an eye on in Boise State’s spring game

Between transfers and early enrollees, the Boise State football team has welcomed 16 new players into the fold this spring.

Coach Andy Avalos said spring practice is always about creating competition and developing depth, but his staff has been just as focused on teaching this year.

“It’s been great to see the guys back out there hungry and ready to work,” Avalos said.

The Broncos will have a chance to put what they’ve learned on display Saturday in their annual spring game at Albertsons Stadium at 1:30 p.m.

Most of the attention will be on quarterback Taylen Green and running back Ashton Jeanty. The duo scored a combined 31 touchdowns last season, and they’re poised for another big year.

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Boise State fans will also get their first live look at the Broncos’ newcomers, including a large contingent of transfers tasked with replacing starters on defense, and a couple of freshmen who are battling for playing time.

Transfers

Edge Tyler Wegis, R-Jr., 6-7, 242 — Wegis looks the part of an elite pass rusher, and he’s already been disruptive on the field. Avalos said the Utah transfer kept quarterbacks on their toes and made a stop near the goal line in the Broncos’ second scrimmage.

The Broncos haven’t had a pass rusher finish a season with more than seven sacks since Curtis Weaver posted 13.5 in 2019. Generating more pressure is going to be key this year, and Wegis has the skills to do it, edge coach Jabril Frazier said.

“He’s doing a great job of playing with confidence,” Frazier said. “Getting off the ball, using your hands and learning to flip your hips is something you continue to develop, and he’s doing a great job.”

Edge Kivon Wright, R-Fr., 6-3, 234 — Sticking with pass rushers, Wright joined the Broncos this year after a season at Boston College. He has four years of eligibility remaining, and he’s sure to get plenty of snaps on Saturday. Wegis, Wright, Gabe Hunter and Jayden Virgin have all been impressive coming off the edge, Frazier said.

“For these guys right now in spring ball, it’s all about learning our scheme,” Frazier said. “Kivon has done a great job of working hard and showing up prepared for meetings.”

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CB A’Marion McCoy, Jr., 6-0, 167 — McCoy has made more of an impact than any of the transfers he came in with this spring. He has already intercepted a couple of passes in practice, and he picked one off in the Broncos’ scrimmage last weekend.

With Caleb Biggers and Tyric LeBeauf gone, and Markel Reed rehabbing from his third surgery in three years, there’s been an open competition at cornerback.

“He’s done some good things,” defensive coordinator Spencer Danielson said of McCoy. “There’s still a lot of areas where we’re excited to see him grow, but he’s played a lot of reps this spring.”

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NT Sheldon Newton, Sr., 6-3, 328 — Scott Matlock and Divine Obichere declared for the NFL Draft and Jackson Cravens transferred to BYU, leaving a void in the middle of the defensive line. Herbert Gums has been out as he rehabs an injury, so plenty of new players have been getting snaps in the trenches.

Newton has the size and athleticism to be a force, defensive line coach Erik Chinander said. He spent the past three years at Northern Arizona, where he posted 36 tackles, six tackles for loss and three sacks last season.

“He’s big, strong and powerful, and he can really run,” Chinander said. “Once he gets his footwork and technique down, he has a chance to be a really good football player.”

DB Titus Toler, R-Sr., 5-11, 197 — Toler came in this year with an impressive pedigree. The Wisconsin transfer was a four-star recruit out of St. John Bosco in California. He has three years of eligibility remaining after appearing in just seven games for the Badgers because of injuries.

He’s been splitting reps between nickel and field safety this spring. It’s unclear how Boise State’s coaches plan to use him, but the spring game should shed some light on that.

“I’m fired up by how he’s come in and embraced our mentality as a program,” safeties coach Kane Ioane said. “He understands it’s not, ‘I’m coming from a Power Five so I’m just going to slide in and be the guy.’ He understands it’s all about this team and he has to fit into a role to help this team be the best it can be.”

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Freshmen

QB CJ Tiller, 6-0, 190 — The question on the minds of Boise State fans this spring is who will back up Green. Tiller enrolled early and has been on campus competing for the job since January. He has shown off his arm with several pinpoint deep passes in practice, and offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan raves about his smarts.

“CJ is an interesting one because he should still be going to his high school prom right now,” Hamdan said. “But he flashes. He has elite arm talent and he can do some special things.”

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WR Prince Strachan, 6-5, 196 — Strachan has been one of the stars of spring ball. He’s already shown a knack for stretching defenses, and he caught four passes in the Broncos’ scrimmage last weekend. He looks like a nice compliment to fellow deep threat Eric McAlister. It will be interesting to see whether they get on the field together Saturday.

“Prince has done a really nice job competing out there,” Avalos said. “He’s been pretty consistent with how he shows up every day.”