Hannah Webb | Copy Editor & Focus Editor
“Play fast, have fun and play green.”
It’s a simple phrase from Keaton Thomas, but it works almost like a mission statement. To “play green” is to play like Baylor: fast, physical, unafraid of mistakes and anchored in trust. As the 2025 season begins, Baylor’s inside linebackers are not just another position group — they are the pulse of the defense, and maybe the team itself.
Thomas, a redshirt junior, returns as the centerpiece of the defense after a breakout 2024, which saw him emerge as both a productive tackler and leader. He played most of last season with a cast on and finished with 144 tackles, 2.5 sacks and an interception, which he returned 35 yards for a touchdown.
Now the veteran leader of a revamped group, he’s embraced the responsibility of being the player teammates look to in key moments.
“My biggest growth aspect-wise is just trying to turn into the leader that [former Baylor linebacker] Matt Jones was, and then do more and do it with my style,” Thomas said. “I’m excited to be able to do that with these guys, just [start] to see some of the young bucks starting to turn heads.”
Thomas’ recognition on the Bednarik Award watch list reflects his national reputation. Still, for Baylor, his impact is measured in how effectively he organizes the defense and raises the standard in practice. He demands effort from himself and those around him.
Jones spent six seasons in Waco, leaving a legacy of leadership and holding Baylor’s all-time games played record, as well as 328 career tackles. Thomas will have to step up in his stead, along with transfers Travion Barnes and Phoenix Jackson and sophomore Kyland Reed.
“You got to bring them up and go hard for them so they can get that energy from [you],” Thomas said. “And it’s been awesome.”
Against Auburn’s physical offensive line, Thomas will be expected to set the tone at the line of scrimmage and keep the defense disciplined.
Next to him will be Jackson, who arrives from Fresno State after climbing from walk-on to one of the most sought-after linebackers in the transfer portal. Jackson chose Baylor in part because of head coach Dave Aranda’s history of developing linebackers.
“My favorite linebacker right now is Pat Queen,” Jackson said, referring to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Pro Bowler who played college ball at LSU. “ And me knowing that [Aranda] coached him, I wanted to be just like him. … Now that I’m at [Baylor] the chance where I can do what he was doing and be who he is, but just in my own way, coach Aranda, he puts that perfect season on top of me.”
His game is versatile — ending last season with 48 tackles, two interceptions and a pick-6 returned 89 yards against Hawai’i — but his motivation is personal.
“I didn’t have no money, no stipend, no nothing,” Jackson said. “[My family] would send me money, pay for my rent for two years. So 2021, walk-on, 2022, walk-on, 2023, got put on scholarship. And from there, my whole thing’s been to repay them back. That’s why now my goal is to get drafted so I can finally take care of them.”
On the field, he has already developed chemistry with Thomas.
“It’s honestly amazing,” Jackson said. “I love being able to play next to somebody that’s just like me. I got the same hunger, I got the same determination to know, no matter what, they’re not going to score. We got this.”
While Thomas and Jackson are expected to be the starters, depth will also be a strength. Barnes, a transfer from Florida International University — where he earned Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 — is back from a spring injury, giving the Bears another experienced option.
“The staff here, the trainers, the weights, everyone took care of me and made sure I got the right rehab,” Barnes said. “I feel wonderful now.”
Barnes’s presence also helps set the tone in practice.
“I mean, every day we got to get better,” Barnes said of fall camp. “I feel like we’re turning in the right direction, though. I mean, that’s all you can ask for. … Getting better each day — 1% every day. And hopefully, we’re where we need to be. Take one small step.”
The fourth major piece of the inside linebacker room is Reed, a sophomore who has grown into a rotational player since last season. Reed credits Thomas’ mentorship for his development, calling him a “football fanatic.”
“Keaton played a big, big role,” Reed said. “I can’t thank him enough … being able to get some of [his knowledge] just made me an overall better person, better player.”
Reed has also benefited from learning alongside veterans Barnes and Jackson, calling his time with them a great experience.
The optimism around this group isn’t just preseason hype — it’s rooted in what Baylor’s linebackers already proved a year ago. Even in a season where the Bears struggled for consistency, the inside linebackers often kept the defense competitive. Thomas emerged as a tackling machine and emotional leader, while younger players like Reed gained valuable reps.
The group’s communication and physicality in the middle allowed Baylor to hang with several high-powered Big 12 offenses. That foundation makes Thomas’ Bednarik recognition feel less like a surprise and more like a confirmation — and why adding Jackson and a healthy Barnes makes the unit look like one of Baylor’s biggest strengths heading into 2025.
The common thread through all of this is Aranda. Known for his defensive mind, Aranda has taken a hands-on role with the linebackers. Jackson credits him with simplifying the game.
“Before, when I was at Fresno State, I was kind of everywhere,” Jackson said. “Coach Aranda kind of simplified it. Read this, baow, read that, baow. Everything else kind of takes its place.”
Barnes echoed the sentiment.
“Sometimes I wonder to myself, how did coach even think of this?” he said. “How did he come up with this scheme? But after a while … he explained it to us. So now it’s much easier for all of us to pick up.”
For a unit blending veterans and newcomers, Aranda’s clarity may be what keeps them steady.
The first test comes immediately against Auburn. The Tigers bring a physical run game and a quarterback who can extend plays, meaning Baylor’s linebackers will be tasked with controlling both the trenches and the open field.
But the challenge stretches well beyond Week 1. In a conference that now features more high-powered attacks, inside linebackers who can blitz, cover and adjust are essential. Baylor’s group appears equipped for that.
“We’re all here to play football,” Thomas said. “We’re all here to do what we love, we’re all here in God’s presence. And it’s been a blessing to be able to do that.”
