Baylor football finishes National Signing Day 2016 with a nationally ranked top-20 signing class. This top-20 finish is the highest in school history during the Big 12 era.
“The Baylor brand is hot.” – Art Briles
Overall, 22 players signed with the Bears, including 19 high school players and three junior college transfers.
Baylor signed seven All-Americans and two USA Football national team members.
The All-Americans all played for Texas high schools.
Of the offensive all-American signees, the Bears signed Navasota wide-receiver Tren’Davian Dickson, Silsbee offensive lineman Patrick Hudson, Sachse wide receiver Devin Duvernay, Copperas Cove offensive lineman J.P. Urquidez and Grandview quarterback Zach Smith.
The Bears also signed two defensive all-Americans: Lancaster defensive back Keenan Ivy and La Vega defensive back Parrish Cobb.
Baylor head coach Art Briles is excited for the new signees and the opportunities that await them.
“The Baylor brand is hot,” Briles said. “Our facilities and the direction of our university are on the dynamic edge, and it’s going to be a continuing trend to see Baylor at the top of the recruiting classes, year-in and year-out.”
The Baylor class consisted of nine offensive players and 12 defensive players. Included in those 12 defensive players are six players who will contribute to Baylor’s defensive secondary.
Also in the 2016 class is one athlete who could fill in as a utility player in several positions.
Although Baylor’s 2016 signing class is full of standout players, it is the wide receivers that have garnered much of the attention.
“Our four receivers we signed this year: TD (Dickson), Jared Atkinson, Denzel Mims and Devin Duvernay, that’s the top receiving class in America,” Briles said, “and it’s not even close.”
Twenty of the 22 signees hail from the Lone Star State, while the other two come from Alabama and Florida.
“I’m just humbled by the loyalty and trust of our student athletes that signed letters of intent with us today, because they all had numerous choices,” Briles said. “They all chose Baylor because of their belief in our University, in our coaching staff, and in our direction as a football program.”
