BYU didn’t have to look far for one of its top 2026 recruiting targets.
Timpview small forward Dean Rueckert visited the Cougars on July 27, as BYU has made his latest top five schools, alongside Clemson, Stanford, TCU and Utah.
Rueckert is rated as a four-star prospect by 247 Sports, ranking as the No. 4 overall recruit in Utah and No. 68 nationally.
As a junior with the T-Birds this past season, the 6-foot-8 Rueckert averaged 18.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game and shot 39% from 3-point range to earn Deseret News 5A Player of the Year honors.
“The visit was great. Some of the highlights were a Zoom call with Jimmer, video with personal messages from former players and getting to know the whole coaching staff better,” Rueckert told Robby McCombs of Vanquish the Foe. “I loved watching practice. It’s fast-paced and high energy so it’s fun to watch. (BYU is) going to be really good this year, I’m excited to watch them.”
According to McCombs, Rueckert “comes from a BYU family” and “is expected to enroll in college right after high school,” meaning he would suit up for the Cougars beginning in 2026 should he commit to Kevin Young’s program.
Rueckert told McCombs he hopes to announce his college decision before the high school basketball season begins.