Which BYU products have the most to prove in the NFL this season?

The NFL season is just around the corner, and this year’s campaign promises to have plenty of BYU-related intrigue.

As training camp and preseason exhibitions roll on, a number of former Cougars are battling for opportunities to contribute to their squads. There’s no shortage of storylines to follow, as the Deseret News has previously reported.

And it’s not just rookies with ties to BYU, such as Kingsley Suamataia and Max Tooley, who have something to prove this season.

Here are five onetime BYU talents-turned NFL veterans with a lot on the line in 2024.

Zach Wilson

No surprise here, right?

Wilson’s turbulent tenure with the New York Jets was well-documented , and now the former No. 2 overall draft selection has the luxury of a fresh start with the Denver Broncos.

Escaping New York is one thing, but Wilson still needs to survive. 2024 will likely make or break his future in the NFL.

It’s a rather favorable situation: Wilson is being tutored by offensive guru Sean Payton and while competing to be Denver’s week one starter at quarterback. Given his competition being Jared Stidham and Bo Nix, if Wilson doesn’t end up breaking camp as QB1, it wouldn’t be crazy to assume he might get some playing time at some point.

Should he display improvement in whatever on-field action he receives, Wilson could follow the route of fellow Jets castoff Sam Darnold into a second act as a quality backup/serviceable bridge quarterback, thus allowing him to hang around in the league for another decade or so.

And who knows, maybe Wilson can shock the world and parlay his change of scenery into emerging as the Broncos’ long-term answer under center. Crazier things have happened!

Tyler Allgeier

As a fifth-round rookie in 2022, Allgeier’s 1,000-plus rushing yards seemed to solidify his place as the Atlanta Falcons’ future at running back.

Then the team drafted Bijan Robinson seventh overall in 2023, and things got awkward.

With Robinson as the primary featured back, Allgeier played 140 fewer snaps last year than in his rookie season, rushing for nearly 400 fewer yards and seeing his yards per carry dip from 4.9 to 3.7.

It was less of a sophomore slump than a strange situation, but it was unfortunate nonetheless.

Head coach Arthur Smith and his failed offensive system are now long gone from Atlanta, and the new Falcons regime should give Allgeier a better chance to shine once again while complementing Robinson to form one of the league’s better two-back tandems.

He probably won’t venture into 1,000-yard territory again this year, but Allgeier could be incredibly valuable to QB Kirk Cousins as a chain-moving thumper and goal line option alongside Robinson’s speedy, dynamic skillset.

If the Allgeier-Robinson partnership plays to its potential, Atlanta’s offense could be among the NFC’s most formidable.

Brady Christensen

Christensen enjoyed a solid 2022 season for the Carolina Panthers, starting 17 games at guard to help drastically improve the team’s pass protection woes.

In week one of 2023, however, Christensen suffered a bicep injury to end his season right as it had begun, leaving Carolina to bleed badly at left guard for the remainder of the year.

Despite Christensen being healthy once again, the Panthers filled his position during the offseason by throwing $53 million at free agent Damien Lewis, causing the 2020 Consensus All-American to “(tumble) down the depth chart.”

Christensen, who is entering a contract year, will now have to fight an uphill battle for a starting spot on Carolina’s offensive line. While he has primarily played guard with the Panthers, he does have some NFL experience at tackle and has even experimented with reps at center .

Should he return to his pre-injury form — or even exceed it — Christensen would either cement a long-term future in Carolina or fetch a nice payday elsewhere this winter.

Michael Davis

After seven years with the Los Angeles Chargers, Michael Davis has a new home.

The Washington Commanders signed the veteran defender to a one-year deal as part of the team’s dramatic roster overhaul under new head coach Dan Quinn, who has a hearty track record of success with cornerbacks such as Davis.

A former undrafted free agent, Davis has carved out a very respectable career for himself thus far. But at 29 years old, it’s unclear how much he has left in the tank.

Washington’s secondary was horrific in 2023 and still appears somewhat thin, giving Davis the chance to start right away and know exactly where he stands against father time.

His stint with the burgundy and gold is essentially a tryout to see if he can last into his 30s, and if he does appear to have some remaining upside, he should stick around for a while with Quinn in D.C.

Puka Nacua

Yes, Nacua did shatter NFL rookie records with his 105 catches for 1,486 yards last season, but he can’t afford to stop there.

Nacua is no longer a surprise to anyone. Opposing teams have had all offseason to watch his film and plan for how to defend him, and with Cooper Kupp at full strength, he may not be Matthew Stafford’s first option as often as he was in 2023.

But Nacua’s challenge is more than merely avoiding a sophomore slump or “one year wonder” label.

With defensive game-wrecker Aaron Donald retiring and both Kupp and Stafford seemingly in the twilight of their careers, there will soon be a changing of the guard in Los Angeles. Another monster campaign from Nacua should establish himself as the face of the Rams for the next decade or so, plastering him on billboards, “Madden” covers and maybe even making him the first $50 million receiver someday.

Nacua has the opportunity to further emerge as an icon for not only his franchise, but for the entire sport as a whole as one of its most popular, unique and influential players. This season will be crucial for such an effort.