BYU WR Gunner Romney Named To Prestigious List Linked To NFL Draft

PROVO, Utah – BYU football wide receiver Gunner Romney is a name to watch for the NFL draft.

Romney was named to the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl watchlist. The Senior Bowl is considered the nation’s most prestigious college all-star game. It’s one of the first big steps in the NFL draft process each winter.

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Link to the entire 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl Watchlist! https://t.co/wrHRj8V4iI#TheDraftStartsInMOBILE

— Reese's Senior Bowl (@seniorbowl) August 12, 2021

Romney is the only player from BYU that appears on the Senior Bowl watch list. Last year, BYU had two players in Tristen Hoge and Matt Bushman make the watch list. Both players are currently in NFL Training Camps with the New York Jets and Las Vegas Raiders. In 2019, running back Ty’Son Williams was on the watch list, he’s currently in the NFL as well.

What’s interesting about Romney being named to the list is that BYU currently lists him as a junior. But academically, he enters this academic year as a senior. Last year was a free year of eligibility for everyone in college football due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That free year of eligibility leaves Romney, who had 39 receptions for 767 yards last year, with two more years of eligibility at BYU if he chooses to use those years.

Gunner Romney snapshot

Romney enters the 2021 season being viewed as one of the top receivers in the BYU program. Last year, he produced an eye-popping 19.7 yards per catch. Since joining the BYU program in 2018, Romney has totaled 83 receptions for 1,306 yards, and six touchdown grabs. He also found the endzone last season on the ground.

Romney to Romney!#BYU QB Baylor Romney finds brother Gunner for a TD pass.#BYUFootball #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/fKzEz4AMV5

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 2, 2021

Coming out of high school, Romney was a heralded recruit out of Chandler, Arizona, where he earned a four-star rating from 247Sports. Romney turned down offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Iowa State, Utah, and others to sign with BYU.

BYU coming off a huge year in the NFL draft

Last year’s BYU football team produced five NFL draft picks, including BYU’s star quarterback and No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson to the New York Jets.  BYU’s number one wide receiver, and the man in front of Gunner Romney last season, Dax Milne, also was an NFL draft pick this past spring after foregoing his senior year.

Gunner Romney has some Ben Cahoon in him. The dude is catching everything.

Big time WR now as a Jr. He’s made the leap.

Let’s get him in the end zone more often. The dude should have 6-8 TDs right now. pic.twitter.com/h8G6nMFaly

— Jarom Jordan (@jaromjordan) November 9, 2020

Being on the Reese’s Senior Bowl watch list doesn’t guarantee that a player will participate in the All-Star game this February. Still, it gives a good barometer of the top upperclassmen entering a given college football season.

A total of 523 players from 252 schools make up the Senior Bowl watch list this season.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.