LARAMIE -- Wyoming has welcomed nearly 50 new faces this offseason.

Transfer portal era, am I right?

Jay Sawvel knew a rebuild on defense was in order after losing both starting linebackers and safeties, along with leaders like Jordan Bertagnole and DeVonne Harris. The departures of Wrook BrownSabastian Harsh and Keany Parks only magnified things.

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The second-year head coach got busy, inking a dozen transfers on that side of the ball on February's traditional signing day and adding three more since the annual spring game.

On offense, the damage was limited.

Yes, running back Harrison Waylee is now at Virginia. Young wideout Justin Stevenson is a Utah Ute now, too. But if you ask Sawvel, he kept the players he wanted on offense, beginning with quarterback Kaden Anderson.

Three of the Cowboys' top linemen -- Jack WalshCaden Barnett and Wes King -- are also back. So is tight end John Michael Gyllenborg, wide receivers Chris Durr Jr. and Jaylen Sargent, along with leading rusher Sam Scott.

So, without further ado, let's spent the summer meeting the new players that litter this 2025 roster:

 

NAME | Jaden DaCosta

YEAR | Sophomore

HT/WT | 6', 202

HOMETOWN | Los Angeles, Calif.

POSITION | Safety

JERSEY NUMBER | 22

PREVIOUS SCHOOL | Portland State

YEARS OF ELIGIBILITY | Three

NOTABLE | DaCosta tallied 36 tackles last fall, including a six-stop performance against Boise State. He also forced a fumble in that outing. His career high, eight, came against Sacramento State.

QUOTABLE | "Jaden DaCosta is a plus athlete in every measurement, every format of it. He was a good player at Portland State. What shocked me is how athletic this guy is at everything. Being a guy that's over 200 pounds, which is what we needed, our physicality and force defensively last year was lacking. We weren't a physical defense," -- Jay Sawvel on the sophomore safety

 

WELCOME TO WYOMING FOOTBALL SERIES:

Esaia Bogar

Eric Richardson

Jason Handy

Brayden Wilson

Deion DeBlanc

Charlie Houston

 

Brooklyn Cheek

Jackson Holman

* Patrick Broadway II

 

MORE UW FOOTBALL NEWS VIA 7220SPORTS:

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'He's going to be special': Bricen Brantley turning heads

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Cowboys land edge rusher from FAU in portal

Cowboys go back to the well to sign latest defensive end

Wyoming receives commitment from 6'6" senior wideout

Tuck's Take: Wyoming won today's Brown and Gold Spring Game

Who is No. 44?: 'He's a kid that's going to show up'

Wyoming loses starting cornerback to transfer portal

Wyoming's Dante Drake has been a menace in the trenches

Cowboys plan to add another QB after Batiste departure

Wyoming's rookie corner is turning heads this spring

Double or nothing: Pokes' makeshift front five falters late

Wyoming looking to add to roster with spring portal looming

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

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