LARAMIE – Wyoming's linebacker room is a blend of the new and old ways of recruiting in college football.
 
The Cowboys' top two tacklers last season – middle linebacker Evan Eller (73 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss) and weak-side linebacker Brayden Johnson (81 tackles, two interceptions) – were FCS transfers acquired from the portal.
 
During spring practice, defensive coordinator Aaron Bohl's linebacker reload featured talented transfers Ethan Stuhlsatz (Lindenwood) and Anthony Beavers (USC) competing with homegrown standouts Dash Bauman and Gary Richardson at the top of the depth chart.
 
"There's so much potential there with all those guys. We'll see them battle it out," Bohl said. "They had the nice safety blanket with Evan last year. Evan and (nose tackle) Ben Florentine were awesome leaders for us, and we've got to replace that, the stuff that you won't see until we get to a game. Ethan is really trying to dive into that role, and we've got to keep pressing him."
 
Eller voluntarily redshirted in 2024 to prepare himself to be UW's next standout "Mike" linebacker in 2025. If the former VMI safety had Stuhlsatz's physical measurements he likely would have been selected in the NFL Draft last weekend.
 
The 6-foot-4, 239-pound Stuhlsatz plans to play as well as Eller did and then follow in the footsteps of Logan Wilson and Chad Muma to the next level.
 
"As a Mike on defense you've got to be that guy. You have to communicate, you have to sacrifice your breath, and I've definitely had to grow in that area," Stuhlsatz said. "Last year I felt like being behind Evan definitely helped me."
 
Bauman, a 6-2, 234-pound sophomore head coach Jay Sawvel compared to a young Muma when he signed at UW, pushed Stuhlsatz to be his best at the Mike spot in the spring and is in position to be in the rotation this fall.
 
"It's crazy to think about really because when I got here honestly, I didn't know the difference between Cover Two, Cover Four, Cover … I didn't know any of that," Bauman said. "Now I know the defense, I know the checks. You come here and it's also putting on the body weight, the muscle, my body has changed a ton, and I feel like I'm at my peak performance right now.
 
"The development has been really good, and I feel like I'm getting to that place right now where I'm ready to go play."
 
Rutherford appeared to be on the fast track to starting opposite Eller last season, but an injury suffered late in camp opened the door for Johnson to be the featured weak-side linebacker.
 
The 6-1, 234-pound sophomore is ready to have a major impact in the heart of Bohl's scheme after contributing 15 tackles in a reserve role in 2025.
 
"Gary's in a really good spot right now," Sawvel said. "He's very comfortable with what we're doing. The repetitions he's gotten in the program have really paid off now."
 
Beavers made the move from Los Angeles to Laramie looking for more playing time after logging 49 tackles during his career with the Trojans.
 
"It was definitely different having my first couple of snow days and calling my mom and my pops early in the morning and telling them it was snowing," Beavers said of adjusting to life at 7,220 feet. "They've embraced me with open arms and helped me navigate this journey moving from Los Angeles and coming here.
 
"I think we've got a talented group for sure and it's going to be exciting when everything comes together, and we put the pieces together."
 
Depth is not an issue for the Pokes with the addition of sophomore transfer Karson Butts (Garden City Community Colege) and the noticeable improvement of redshirt freshman Parker Moore and sophomore Steven Perez.
 
"Parker is a good football player, Parker is a hammer, a physical guy that is really explosive," Sawvel said. "He's between 235 and 240 (pounds). It doesn't take very long to look at him and (think) this guy is kind of yoked up. …
 
"We made a really good call with a late pick up of Steven Perez. He signed in December 2024, but it was probably mid-November of 2024 that we decided to offer. He was too good of a football player to not take. I think it has shown up now."
 
True freshman Mason Wright enrolled early and participated in spring practice. The other two linebackers in the 2026 recruiting class, Dante Bruley and Boston Gable, will arrive this summer.
 
(Editor's note: This is the second in an eight-part series reviewing UW's position groups. Thursday's review: Secondary)
 
Follow Ryan for more stories on Wyoming athletics on X at @By_RyanThorburn on Facebook at Wyoming Athletics and Instagram at wyoathletics. Also follow him at Pokes Insider at Gowyo.com/pokesinsider.
 
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