By Jeffrey Cohen | Sports Writer
Four-star wide receiver London Smith announced on Wednesday that he would follow in his parents’ footsteps and don the green and gold.
“His mom ran track at Baylor, his sister’s at Baylor and his dad also was a heck of an athlete at Baylor,” University High School head coach Charles Foster said. “It’s like it stayed in the family tree.”
Smith became the highest-rated local recruit to sign with Baylor under head coach Dave Aranda. He joins a group of eight high school recruits from Waco and the surrounding areas who have joined Aranda and the Bears.
That list includes redshirt sophomore running back Bryson Washington (Franklin), sophomore wide receiver Jadon Porter (Lorena) and redshirt junior defensive lineman Devonte Tezino (Killeen Ellison).
“Baylor was his second school [to offer a scholarship], they were all for London when he was a freshman,” Foster said. “For him to stick to his words, stick to his commitment, just shows how loyal he is.”
Smith remained unwavering in his commitment to Baylor, even while the program’s top three recruits flipped within days of the Bears’ season-ending 31-24 loss to Houston.
“Way happy for the guys that we got, and excited about the guys that want to be here and want to be able to make this place a winning program again,” Aranda said. “A few of those guys, local obviously, are London Smith and Davion Peters.”
Peters, a three-star from Temple Lake Belton HS, is the Bears’ fourth-ranked signee. He and Smith, who ranks third, are the Bears’ top-ranked wide receivers in the 2026 class.
While Peters has a smaller frame than Smith at 5-foot-11 and 165 pounds, Aranda has compared him to former Bears receiver Monaray Baldwin.
“He reminds me of Monaray Baldwin in a lot of ways,” Aranda said. “There’s a great start and stop with him, and there is ability to make plays after the catch.”
Baldwin is another one of Aranda’s local signees, hailing from Killeen Shoemaker as a three-star in the 2021 class. He finished his Baylor career with 99 receptions for 1,673 yards and 13 touchdowns, as well as fourth-team All-Big 12 honors as a sophomore.
Smith and Peters are the newest stars in Baylor football’s increasing ties to Central Texas high school football.
The Bears’ 2026 class has continued to be Texas-heavy, with eight of the 12 signees residing in the Lone Star state.
“The coordinators, [Jake] Spavital and [Matt] Powledge, they did a really good job of trying to keep the Central Texas talent in Central Texas,” Foster said.
Central Texas football has been overshadowed by powerhouse programs in the Houston and Dallas areas. Foster believes that the Bears’ regional attention shines a light on guys that don’t get the same recognition as peers at bigger schools.
“I like keeping the talent in Baylor, keeping talent in Waco, because Central Texas football is a hidden gem,” Foster said. “There’s a lot of good schools around here, and I feel like they need to stay at home and continue to make Baylor successful.”
The Bears’ focus on Central Texas has created a strong bond between them and programs throughout the area. Foster and other coaches have supported the way Baylor connects with the athletes.
“To have that relationship when they’re visiting schools is a really big aspect for Baylor,” Foster said. “I do appreciate it, man. They just come in, just act like it’s home.”
The pipeline from Central Texas high school football to Baylor is a driving factor for the communities around the schools and their teams. The players staying home, like Smith and Peters, allow their families and schools to show up and support them more easily.
“Our kids want to be close to home,” Foster said. “To have Baylor right in the central heart of Texas is pretty amazing for not just our kids, but all the surrounding area schools that their families get to come and watch them play.”
The pipeline extends to coaches as well. Kaeron Johnson, who preceded Foster at University High School, left in March to become Baylor football’s Assistant Athletics Director for Player Relations. In 2021, former China Spring head coach Brian Bell joined the Bears as a quality control coach. He joined his brother Shawn Bell, a former Baylor quarterback and high school coach in Clifton and Round Rock. (The brothers now coach under Willie Fritz at Houston.)
Local recruits moving up to Power Four football at Baylor also serve as inspiration for up-and-coming high school players. Some high schoolers dream of playing under the lights of a Power Four stadium, and guys like Smith and Peters serve as examples that it is possible to make that a reality from their respective schools.
“London just paved the way for all these young athletes, because they all look up to him like he’s Superman,” Foster said. “Deep down inside, London, he’s just a laid-back student-athlete that just wants to win.”
Three-star cornerback Davontrae Kirkland committed to the Bears in June. He’ll look to follow Smith, his Trojan teammate, in the class of 2027.
Aranda said on signing day that both Smith and Peters will have opportunities to step up throughout the spring and find the field during their freshman campaigns.
