LARAMIE -- Will his skills translate at the FBS level?

Brayden Johnson would be less than honest if he said that thought hasn't crossed his mind. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound linebacker spent the previous three seasons at Division-II Oklahoma Baptist University, a small religious institution in Shawnee.

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There he faced the likes of Arkansas Tech, Ouachita Baptist and Southern Nazarene.

This fall he plans to be roaming around the line of scrimmage against the likes of Power-4 programs like Utah and Colorado.

"I’ll be honest, I am a little nervous," said Johnson, who earned All-Great American Conference honors in 2024 after tallying 71 tackles, including 7.5 for loss. "I have a lot of people back home that are rooting for me that I want to make proud. I know I’m 100% capable, it’s just hard not to have a little nerves.

"I am confident in my talent and skills, however, I do know that I have to improve in some areas."

That's why, Johnson said, he left mid-year. He wanted to arrive in Laramie and get to work immediately.

Wyoming needs him to produce, too.

Shae Suiaunoa, the team's leading tackler with 87 stops, exhausted his eligibility. So did his running mate on the outside, Connor Shay. He tallied 76 tackles last season. Reserve Cole DeMarzo retired last December. Read Sunn now calls Eastern Washington home.

 

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While the coaching staff is high on youngsters like Gary Rutherford and Dash Bauman, the fact remains, they haven't played at the collegiate level.

Johnson has.

He's appeared in 29 games, registering 145 tackles in the process. The Ringling High School product has also tacked on 14 stops behind the line, including a pair of sacks and three forced fumbles.

Johnson was the 15th-leading tackler in the conference in '24. Three times he hit double figures in a game, including a dozen against Harding. In a win over East Central in late September, he capped his afternoon with four tackles for loss. He also added his first-career interception.

He also received offers from Tulsa, UTEP, Stephen F. Austin and Southeast Missouri State.

Admittedly, Johnson doesn't know a ton about his new home. The same can't be said for the school's tradition at the linebacker spot.

"Wyoming has produced a lot of good ones," Johnson said, referring to Logan Wilson and Chad Muma, who are both currently in the NFL. "That’s another big reason why I chose to become a Cowboy. I want to learn and be further developed into becoming better at the position."

He has one year of eligibility to do just that.

He's not wasting any time, either.

"After my visit, I knew I would be challenged to get better," he added. "I didn’t want to go somewhere that I would be comfortable. I wanted a place that was going to push me to be a better player and Wyoming definitely seems like that place."

University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players

During the summer of 2021, 7220Sports.com counted down the Top 50 football players in University of Wyoming history, presented by Premier Bone & Joint Centers, Worthy of Wyoming.

The rules are simple: What was the player's impact while in Laramie? That means NFL stats, draft status or any other accolade earned outside of UW is irrelevant when it comes to this list.

This isn't a one-man job. This task called for a panel of experts. Joining 7220's Cody Tucker are Robert GagliardiJared NewlandRyan Thorburn, and Kevin McKinney.

We all compiled our own list of 50 and let computer averages do the work. Think BCS -- only we hope this catalog is fairer.

Don't agree with a selection? Feel free to sound off on our Twitter: @7220sports - #Top50UWFB

Gallery Credit: 7220Sports.com

- University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players