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Sonny Makasini takes a breather during a fall practice session. August 15, 2026

Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photo

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BYU lineman Sonny Makasini calls out blocking assignments prior to the snap during a game versus Iowa State. October 25, 2025

Courtesy BYU Photo

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When considering all factors in play, it makes a lot of sense that BYU’s offensive line will enter the 2026 with Sonny Makasini defined as the position group’s ‘glue guy.’

The 6-foot-4, 315 pound lineman was born in Provo, grew up in Provo, and save for his two-year mission service for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to both Tonga and Oakland, has remained in the city where BYU is located.

For perhaps this reason, Makasini opted to walk-on to BYU rather than play at Utah State following his mission service where he has since moved up the depth chart, provided valuable play through the past four seasons, and will enter this year’s team as one of BYU’s three-starting interior linemen.

“He’s a glue guy. He’s a program guy,” said BYU offensive line coach TJ Woods. “He’s been here a long time, and as far as our system … he knows more than anybody in that room … He’s like having another coach on the field.”

It takes a good amount of know-how to be employed in the spots Makasini has been thrust into over the past four seasons, whether to be at either guard position or at center. Even so, BYU’s glue guy is prone to demure when presented with the suggestion of him being a highly intelligent individual.

“I don’t know if I’d call myself smart. I guess I have some good football intelligence, but I don’t know about smart,” Makasini said with a laugh. “I was raised by great parents who taught me well and I’ve had great teammates and coaches here at BYU to learn from. All the credit goes to them.”

As mentioned, Makasini was both born and raised in Provo, and although he signed on to play at Utah State following his prep career at Timpview, he opted to take a preferred walkon spot at BYU upon returning home from his mission service. He wound up redshirting during the 2022 season before obtaining a spot on the travel team in 2023 before being thrust into the lineup as the team’s starting center for one game in 2024. Since then he’s filled multiple spots and roles while working to do well with whatever task he’s assigned.

“I just came in, put my head down and learned,” Makasini said of his opportunity to warrant playing time in 2023. “Connor Pay was was here, so I just tried to put my head down and work, and by the end of that season, I made the travel squad. It was a really cool experience for me to get to learn from those guys and just get my hands dirty, get in and try to just absorb as much as I could.”

He’s risen to the point where Woods likens a lot of Makasini’s overall play to that of Pay, who was the unquestioned leader of the offensive line when Woods took over the position group in 2024.

“It’s kind of similar to how Connor Pay was a couple years ago. So, I’m really excited about his growth,” Woods said. He’s worked his tail off in the weight room, and he put a lot of good stuff on film last year … He had a good season last year, and we look for that to just kind of really take off this year.”

Makasini has worked as the offensive line’s primary backup over the past two seasons, but this year looks to be a lock at likely the left guard position, although he can fill in just about anywhere if the need arises.

“He can play all three of the inside spots,” Woods said. “If you remember in 2024 against Baylor, he came in and played center when Connor broke his foot. So he’s equipped that way. He’s sharp enough, (and) he can snap it. He’s a football guy, you know? There’s lots of things he can do out on this field.”

“It’s something I pride myself on is just being available to help in any way possible,” Makasini added. “But it’s been cool for me just to be able to help the young guys a lot. Being experienced in all the different positions, I feel like I can give them insight sometimes and help them improve their game to be more balanced players. I’m not perfect or anything, but just I have a lot of experience compared to some of those guys. So it’s it’s been a cool experience to share that with them and kind of feel like Coach Woods sometimes, helping them come along and seeing them grow.”

And the fact that Makasini is able to do everything he has at the program which was almost literally in his backyard growing up couldn’t be a more welcome prospect.

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. It’s hard to think of being anywhere else, to be honest,” Makasini concluded. “I love BYU and it’s meant so much to me to have the opportunities I’ve had to meet my wife, stay close to my family and then be part of this great football program. I’ve been really blessed.”