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Provo • Before he was taken in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft by the Detroit Lions, former BYU linebacker Kyle Van Noy predicted that a young phenom who had just signed with the Cougars a few months before that had the potential to match his exploits in Provo, perhaps even surpass them.
Fred Warner isn't there yet, but he's making Van Noy sound like a genius.
The junior outside linebacker from San Marcos, Calif., is on the verge of a monster season if he can stay healthy and continue to learn the nuances of the new 4-3 defense, coach Kalani Sitake and defensive coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki said last week.
"He's got huge potential," Sitake said. "He's a big-time player. He doesn't waste a lot of steps, and the game is really natural for him. … He's a great one. He is going to find himself in a really good position, especially in this defense, making a lot of big plays.
"We are going to give him some freedom and some ability to freelance a bit, because he has earned it," Sitake continued. "And he is trustable. I think now that he is a junior, he knows the risks to take. He will take some, and hopefully they work out."
Tuiaki is just as effusive in his praise for the 19-year-old rising star.
"Fred does everything," Tuiaki said. "Fred is a really good player. He does everything for us. We can put him out on coverage, man to man. We can zone drop him, blitz him, everything. He is the total package. … Fred has the combination of size and speed in a guy you would like to play linebacker."
This season, Warner will be joined by his brother, freshman Troy Warner, who is in a battle for a starting cornerback spot. BYU's version of the Warner Bros. — yes, T-shirts are on the way — are both former four-star recruits out of Mission Hills High in the San Diego area who picked BYU over Pac-12 schools such as Oregon, USC and Washington.
"I just felt like this was the place that would make me a better man," Fred Warner said.
Raised by a single mother, Laura, Fred Warner added 15 pounds of muscle over the offseason and now checks in around 235. But the added bulk didn't slow him down, he insists, because he will be called on to cover receivers and running backs downfield in Tuiaki's scheme.
"We will put him in space and in a position where he can do his own thing," Sitake said. "He handles himself really well in space, but he is also good at the line of scrimmage and also in the box. He reminds me of a lot of others that I have coached, but as far as playmaking ability and potential, he has got a lot more. I think he is just scratching the surface of how good and dominating he can be as a player."
Last summer, Warner was still trying to overcome a broken wrist and a broken back suffered during his freshman season. This summer, fully healthy, he worked on getting in better shape, and often ran stairs at LaVell Edwards Stadium with his teammates.
"They just want me fast enough to where I can cover receivers and stuff, and that's not a problem," Warner said. "I am just focusing on whatever I can do to help the team."
Warner recorded 67 tackles (46 solo), four sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss last season. He had two interceptions and four fumble recoveries. He's taking Van Noy's praise in stride, though.
"I feel like I could better my game in so many ways right now," he said. "I am just trying to get better each and every day, just so when the games come I can be the playmaker that my team needs me to be."
Twitter: @drewjay —
About Fred Warner
• BYU linebacker named to the Phil Steele All-Independent First Team after his sophomore season.
• Played in 10 games as a true freshman, recording 24 tackles and an interception for a touchdown vs. Boise State.
• A four-star prospect (Rivals.com, Scout.com and ESPN.com) out of Mission Hills High in San Marcos, Calif., picked BYU over offers from USC, Arizona, Arizona State, Cal and Washington.