By Matthew Nevarez | Reporter

This offseason has been a whirlwind for Baylor, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Many players have opted to depart via the portal, leaving many gaps to fill for head coach Dave Aranda and his staff. But Baylor has begun rebuilding the defense and Aranda is looking to prove that he is still one of the best defensive minds in college football.

Baylor was hit with a reality check this portal season after losing several key players, most notably Keaton Thomas, the captain of the linebacker corps and the Bears’ leading tackler. After two outstanding seasons where he tallied 100 plus tackles in both seasons and was one of the few bright spots of a subpar Baylor defense, Thomas departed for the portal and landed at Ole Miss, leaving a major spot to fill for Baylor’s defense.

Another key departure was DJ Coleman, a starting safety who burst onto the scene this past season. After tallying 46 total tackles, two interceptions and four passes defended, he, like Thomas, opted for the SEC route and landed at Florida.

Baylor also lost plenty of edge-rushing talent to the portal, with Emar’rion Winston headed to Arizona State and former blue-chip recruit Kamauryn Morgan en route to Virginia Tech.

As fall practice turned into winter workouts, new defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman and his staff began to rebuild the defense. Baylor looked to the portal for experience and guys who are hungry to make their mark.

One of the biggest pickups for the Baylor staff was Garrick Ponder from Southern Miss. Ponder, an edge rusher who tallied 37 total tackles and 3.5 sacks last year, brings experience and grit to the linebacker core. He can blitz, tackle and anchor down a position that has had more questions than answers.

Another pickup came up front in defensive lineman Hosea Wheeler. The Indiana transfer brings a championship mentality and much-needed physicality that should add a spark to a pass rush attack that was nowhere to be found in 2025. Hosea’s mix of speed and awareness should be a sure-fire pickup for the Baylor staff.

Baylor’s secondary was the most questionable position group of this past season, and lost multiple key contributors this offseason. One big addition was Oklahoma’s Devon Jordan, who offers important versatility. He racked up 16 total tackles and recorded a sack against Alabama. He’s a true do-it-all corner and will be a great addition to the defensive backfield.

Aranda will be giving up defensive play-calling duties for this next season and handing them over to Klanderman, who came to Waco by way of Kansas State.

Klanderman was a big help in recruiting from the portal and brought in multiple former Wildcats, including safety Daniel Cobbs. After losing Coleman to the portal, Cobbs will be in a great spot to fill the gap. Cobbs tallied 39 total tackles, two passes defended and three interceptions last season, including a pick against the Bears on Oct. 4. The former JUCO product brings needed experience and leadership to the Bears’ safety spot.

While Baylor lost a lot of talent in the portal, they have bounced back and begun a rebuild like no other on the defensive side of the ball. These players are a part of a special rebuild for Aranda and company. For the players, the upcoming season will be about embracing the Baylor culture, coming into a new school ready to compete for spots and bringing a strong work ethic day in and day out.

While fans won’t find out whether this rebuild will be a good one until next season, and the deciding factor won’t just be the players, the big deciding factor will be the guy who’s leading them. Aranda is rooted in defense and this off-season has shown that he is ready to show fans the defense that he can build. Baylor’s focus will be about accountability and communication this offseason. Along with Klanderman and the rest of the defensive staff, Baylor fans have all the more to be excited for going into next season.