PROVO — Perhaps no incoming freshman entering the BYU football program this season holds as high of expectation as Kody Epps.
And for good reason.
Epps was one of the more highly recruited athletes signed as part of the 2020 BYU football recruiting class as a three-star athlete with scholarship offers from Oregon, UNLV and Nevada, among others. His film offers a glimpse of an elusive speedster who proved particularly effective his senior season, finishing his final year at Mater Dei with 92 receptions for 1,726 yards and 28 touchdowns.
Those type of numbers would be impressive regardless of the program, but considering Epps prepped at Mater Dei, it makes it even more so. Mater Dei is one of the elite high school programs in California and the nation. Several notable names have moved on to the college ranks, including Matt Leinart and Matt Barkley, both who played for USC.
Indeed it’s his massive production that is first mentioned by BYU receivers coach Fesi Sitake when asked of what fans can expect from the 5-foot-10, 170-pound speedster when he joins the Cougars this summer.
So what are Epps’ strengths that enabled him to post such big numbers for such a prestigious program, and how will those strengths translate to the collegiate level? We sat down with former BYU cornerback Ben Criddle, who hosts Cougar Sports on ESPN960, to break down his film.
What positives stand out to you regarding Kody Epps’ film?
“He’s a very precise route-runner, with good body control when running through traffic and when adjusting to the ball. He really does well keeping his stride after the catch — that’s something that really stands out to me.
“I also really like how efficient he is with his footwork, and he also has the ability to take it to the house. When he’s in the open field, he’s pulling away from defenders consistently, and he’s going against the top competition in California. So that’s very impressive.
“He’s operating from the slot a lot, which gives him favorable matchups, in general, so that’s of note. But when he does rotate to the outside on switch routes, he’s still beating his defender. You can’t argue with his numbers against top competition, either. I like having a guy coming in who has already proven highly productive.”
Which former BYU player does he remind you of?
“He reminds me of a JD Falslev or Aleva Hifo. Because of his size and natural skill set, I don’t see Kody playing much on the outside, especially early in his career. So I see him becoming an effective slot guy like JD and Aleva were, and possibly a very productive punt returner.
“I see him operating in the slot throughout his BYU career, and that’s great. He doesn’t need to be on the outside to become a highly-productive receiver.” — Ben Criddle, on Kody Epps
“Kody was much more productive than either JD or Aleva in high school, playing at a higher level, so the expectation for Kody is significantly higher, as a result. I feel the expectation will be for Kody to prove as good as both JD and Aleva were when they both were seniors almost immediately, as a freshman and sophomore.
“I see him operating in the slot throughout his BYU career, and that’s great. He doesn’t need to be on the outside to become a highly productive receiver.”
What can fans expect from Epps this coming season?
“The expectation in just about everyone’s mind is for him to see immediate playing time and to be a productive player. He feels he can be, but it really is hard to know until he comes in and practices.
“Not everyone is an Austin Collie. It’s not easy for a first-year player to have an immediate impact at receiver at BYU. You just don’t see it — hardly ever, so it’s hard to say that yeah, he’ll catch a lot of balls and be a productive player for the offense as a freshman.
“So it’s going to be interesting, to say the least. The expectations are high on him, and it will be interesting to see if he can live up to all of it. I don’t think there’s much question that in time he’ll prove an effective receiver for BYU, but I hesitate to say definitively that he can be as productive as most expect as a first-year player.”