Baylor’s 2026 roster leans heavily on transfer experience, but a handful of freshmen have already pushed their way into the conversation. A few of them are not just developmental pieces anymore. They’re legitimate candidates to help right away.
The clearest path belongs to redshirt freshman wideout Taz Williams Jr., who already showed enough last season to preserve his eligibility while appearing in four games. He finished with one catch for 11 yards and also worked on special teams, and now he’s carving out a bigger place in a reshaped receiver room.
“We’re all just bought in,” Williams said during spring practice. “We’re all fighting for the same end goal, and we’re all fighting together to get there.”
Among the newcomers, true freshman London Smith has drawn the loudest praise. The Waco University product arrived after a senior season that included more than 1,400 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns, and he came in at 6-foot and 211 pounds. Offensive coordinator Jake Spavital said the early returns have been strong.
“His best ball is not even close to where it’s at right now,” Spavital said. “He’s playing at a high level right now.”
Baylor also has a freshman runner who could force his way onto the field in a deep backfield. Ryelan Morris enters a room that already includes Dawson Pendergrass, Caden Knighten and Michael Turner, but his production at the high school level was hard to ignore: more than 2,100 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns as a senior.
“He is a home run hitter out of the backfield,” head coach Dave Aranda said. “Anytime you can give a guy a ball and three yards can go to 80 yards, there’s a positive, and we got that with him.”
Spavital added that Morris has “done a lot of great things,” and that could lead to a role built around special packages, motion looks or return work.
Up front, Donel Robinson Jr. is another freshman who could benefit from opportunity. The 6-foot-3, 308-pound lineman played both sides of the line in high school, and Baylor is still sorting through uncertainty on the offensive front. Aranda pointed to “some rawness” in Robinson’s game, but he also emphasized the traits that stand out.
The coach praised Robinson’s “nastiness,” “aggressiveness” and “dog mentality.”
At quarterback, Quinn Murphy and Edward Griffin remain part of the race to back up DJ Lagway. Griffin redshirted last season, while Murphy has caught the staff’s eye with his athleticism.
“Quinn’s a very talented individual,” Spavital said. “He’s one of the faster guys on our team.”
Spavital also said Murphy, Griffin and Nate Bennett have “all had their moments.” Neither Murphy nor Griffin is expected to win the starting job, but the backup competition matters all the same: whoever gets it is one play away from running Baylor’s offense.
On the defensive side, Jae’Lin Battle has the build to compete for snaps early. The 6-foot-2, 303-pound lineman posted 62 tackles and 17 tackles for loss as a senior, and Aranda sees a player whose power shows up all over the field.
“He’s so powerful, with his lower center of gravity, he can make plays sideline to sideline,” Aranda said. “His pass rush ability is underrated.”
Linebacker Jamarion Phillips is another name to watch, especially on special teams before he starts stacking defensive reps. He had 90 tackles as a junior after putting up 23 tackles for loss and 14 sacks as a sophomore at South Oak Cliff.
“He’s been underrated his whole career,” Aranda said, calling Phillips “one of the most electric playmakers that we’ve got.”
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