By Foster Nicholas | Sports Editor
Baylor football inked 21 players as the pen was put to paper on National Signing Day. Head coach Dave Aranda announced that the team had added 10 offensive players, 10 defensive players and one kicker on Wednesday.
The Bears currently have the No. 3 class in the Big 12 and No. 34 class in the nation, according to 247Sports. It marks the highest-ranked class by 247Sports since 2018 when the green and gold ranked No. 29 in the nation.
“Very impressed with our group of young men that are coming in. Their quality of character and their ability to perform on the field, I think, is very, very strong and is something that we’re going to get to here really quick,” Aranda said during his first-ever national signing day press conference. “The excitement and the ability to kind of take the next step as a program is something that they see, and it’s something that they want to be a part of and have their imprint on. And I’m all for that.”
Aranda said the team was focused on adding wide receivers and linebackers in the 2025 class. The Bears brought in four wide receivers: Jacksonville, Fla., three-star Chase Collier; Pearland three-star Ashtyn Jones; Pearland three-star Jacorey Watson; and Red Oak four-star Taz Williams.
Baylor added three linebackers: Houston four-star Kaleb Burns; Spring three-star Trent Spence; and Lancaster three-star Ke’breion “KB” Winston. The green and gold also gathered two outside linebackers: Rosharon three-star Christopher Johnson and Dallas four-star Kamauryn Morgan.
The class includes five fours-star prospects, including Burns, Morgan, Williams and running backs Pauls Valley, Okla., Caden Knighten and North Richland Michael Turner. Aranda said associate head coach Khenon Hall played a key role in reeling in the elite talent.
“Khenon fit the bill for us,” Aranda said. “He’s been loyal, he’s been way effective in communication and partnership with other coaches, bringing guys along, and has been a guy that I think the best is yet to come from him. I think the running back room and what they did this past year only shows what he can do on the field and off.”
Of the 21 players brought in by the Bears, 16 played their high school football careers in Texas. The other five recruits reside in Mississippi (2), Colorado (1), Florida (1) and Oklahoma (1).
“The best high school football, the best players and the best coaches in the nation reside in the state of Texas,” Aranda said. “We are thrilled to bring in 16 more Texas products into our program, a program that is built on the foundation of all the hard work done by the Texas High School Coaches Association in preparing these young men for the next level.”
Lorena three-star defensive lineman Jackson Blackwell, who has been a Baylor fan since birth, signed with the Bears on Wednesday. Aranda said the ability to keep local talent in Waco has been missing and the addition of Blackwell was a big win in that sense.
“I think it’s kind of the first time, really, we’ve been able to do that despite efforts in the past,” Aranda said of keeping local talent home. “Probably the thing I’m most proud of is that. There’s a lot of lot of effort into it, and was very competitive with Jackson, and love his family, and love everything that he’s about, and he’s such a great fit here.”
The Bears added one quarterback, Coppell three-star Edward Griffin III, and one kicker, Monument, Colo., three-star Rhett Armstrong, who is the No. 5 kicker in the nation according to 247Sports. Aranda called Griffin “the complete package” and said the addition of Armstrong is a “home run” as he will make an instant impact.
After adding just 12 freshmen to the 2024 recruiting class, Aranda hopes to build on the larger 2025 class heading into the transfer portal window and the 2026 class.
“It shows what happens when you believe in people,” Aranda said. “I think it shows what is possible. There’s a whole lot more that is possible. I think the recruiting, where it is now, we want to take the next step, and we’re aiming to do that with this next class and the transfer class that’s going to come along with it… We’re as strong as anyone out there. We’re coming.”
The green and gold rounded out the defensive class with four members of the secondary: Trophy Club three-star cornerback Leo Almanza Jr., Tyler three-star safety Demetrius Brisbon, Carrollton safety Bo Onu, Gunter three-star safety Colin Peacock. On offense, Baylor picked up Columbia, Miss., offensive lineman Harrison Cluff, Flowood, Miss., offensive lineman Matthew Parker and Austin tight end Brody Wilhelm.
The bowl-bound Bears await the announcement of their final game of the year on Selection Day. Matchups will be announced on Dec. 8 and broadcast on ESPN.
