A day after receiving the bitter news that four-star athlete Bode Sparrow had chosen Oklahoma over them in a decision that the Davis High star said was razor-close, BYU’s football coaches got some news Saturday afternoon that will erase that crushing disappointment.
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Rising senior receiver Blake Wong, a four-star recruit and the No. 3 rated receiver in California, committed to play for BYU during a live stream on 247Sports from his high school in Norco, California.
Wong picked the Cougars over four other big-time finalists: Ohio State, UCLA, Oregon and Utah.
Wong, 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, is a much-needed boost to BYU coach Kalani Sitake’s recruiting efforts, and the athlete of Chinese-American ethnicity becomes the ninth member of the 2027 recruiting class to commit to BYU.
He is expected to sign with BYU when the December signing period begins in a little less than six months.
I really wanted to see the full culture, and see how I fit in with the players, and what the whole program and organization represents.
— Blake Wong on visiting five different colleges
“For the next three to four years, I will be committed to BYU,” Wong said as he picked a BYU cap off the table, surrounded by family members. Wong is a member of the faith that supports BYU, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“BYU is the choice just because how much of the culture I fit in, and the way Kalani is, and Fesi (Sitake) is, as a head coach and a position coach for me,” Wong said. “I really fit in well with them, and also the early opportunities I have (to play) there.”
Wong caught 84 passes for 1,470 yards and 20 touchdowns in 10 games last fall as a junior, soaring up recruiting boards after one of the most productive seasons in the history of his high school. He’s one of the top 50 receivers nationally in the class of 2027.
Wong said the fact that BYU made him its No. 1 receiver priority also played into his decision to choose Provo.
“Just seeing how much belief they have in me to make an impact, and how much they care, and how much they value who I am (was impressive),” he said. “They care about me not just as a player, but as a person.”
Wong attended the same high school as a freshman as BYU’s Bear and Tiger Bachmeier, Murrieta Valley High in Southern California.
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He said the Cougars are getting “just a great person overall (who is) coming to make an impact, whether it’s off the field or on the field.”
Wong visited Utah first, then UCLA. He visited BYU on June 15 and June 16, then concluded his trips with visits to Oregon and Ohio State.
“I really wanted to see the full culture, and see how I fit in with the players, and what the whole program and organization represents,” he said.
Wong thanked his high school coaches and teammates, his family and Heavenly Father for helping him get where he is today.
“Without Him, I am nothing,” he said. “And my coaches and my family, I am with them every day, and I work hard with them. Without them, I wouldn’t be here. They help give me motivation every day.”
Ranked last in the Big 12 in 2027 football recruiting by 247Sports and other sites when the day began, BYU almost certainly will jump in the national team rankings.
Recruiting expert Casey Lundquist of Cougs Daily on the Sports Illustrated online network said Wong’s commitment could jumpstart a BYU run over the course of the next two weeks.
“While BYU’s class certainly would have been better with Sparrow on board, and BYU doesn’t have the luxury of finding another top 100 prospect to take his spot, I wouldn’t panic quite yet,” Lundquist said Friday after Sparrow picked Oklahoma.
“A lot of BYU’s top prospects are still on the board, and there’s a long time before signing day.”
Also Saturday, three-star athlete Peyton Higginson of Salem Hills High in Utah County told the Deseret News that he has narrowed his three finalists to BYU, Michigan and Utah State.
Higginson said he will likely made a decision in the middle of next week, or the week following the 4th of July holiday weekend.