Baylor’s new offensive line has landed in a spot that should at least make the Bears feel better about where they’re starting: 45th nationally in Brian Jones’ recent On3 breakdown of Steele’s top 69 offensive line rooms in college football.
That number matters because this is not a group with much built-in continuity. Baylor is replacing four starters, adjusting to a new position coach, and counting on several transfers to click fast in a new system.
On paper, that’s a lot to ask. So a mid-pack national ranking feels less like a compliment with caveats and more like a quietly solid place to begin.
Kaden Sieracki is the only returning starter with real experience in Baylor’s system, but the Bears did add some proven college snaps through the portal. Toledo transfer Cole Rhett, UAB’s Logan Moore, and South Alabama transfer Asher Hale are all expected to help steady the room. They’ll be coached by Austin Woods, who went from interim to permanent offensive line coach after previously working at USC and playing four years at Oklahoma.
There’s still plenty to sort out. Offensive line play is built on chemistry, and Baylor will need this unit to get on the same page quickly with DJ Lagway behind it and a talented backfield that can shoulder a big piece of the offense.
Even so, No. 45 suggests Steele sees enough experience and upside here to keep Baylor away from the bottom of the national pile.
The rest of the Big 12 picture around Baylor gives the ranking a little more texture. Cincinnati comes in as the league’s highest-rated offensive line at 14th, with BYU next at 19th. The Cougars will host Baylor in Provo on November 14th.
Texas Tech is listed at 27th, which means Baylor will see another well-regarded front when the Red Raiders come to Waco one week later. West Virginia and Houston sit back-to-back at 37th and 38th, and Houston is the Bears’ regular-season finale. North Dakota State, despite being outside the Power Four, checks in at 41st, four spots ahead of Baylor.
TCU lands at 48th, giving Baylor a slight preseason edge heading into the October 17th Revivalry matchup. Arizona is next at 50th, followed by Kansas and UCF at 52nd and 55th.
Utah drops all the way to 60th after losing both Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu to the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, with Fano going No. 9 overall to Cleveland and New England taking Lomu at No. 28.
One of the biggest surprises on the list comes much later: Alabama at No. 61, a spot that would have seemed almost impossible in the Saban era.
Baylor sitting 16 spots ahead of the Crimson Tide does not turn the Bears into a dominant offensive line unit. But it does back up the idea that this rebuild has more real pieces than the “new-look” label might imply.
For a group that entered the season as one of the roster’s biggest question marks, 45th is a respectable place to start.
In Other News...
Baylor Rookies Are Already Feeling The NFL Roster Crunch
The Baylor pipeline to the NFL got off to a promising start this summer, with two Bears hearing their names called in the 2026 draft and a handful more landing opportunities as undrafted free agents. Defensive lineman Jackie Marshall went to the Tennessee Titans, while wide receiver Josh Cameron joined the Jacksonville Jaguars, giving Baylor fans reason to keep one eye on preseason box scores and another on roster moves across the league.
Cameron has already shown up in preseason action for Jacksonville, while Marshalls early impact in Tennessee has been more limited, and the broader picture is even more crowded for the other Baylor newcomers trying to stick. Several more former Bears signed with different teams, but their preseason participation and roster standing have varied, which is exactly the kind of early August squeeze that can turn a draft-night celebration into a week-to-week fight for survival. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Brings Back A Program Icon For A Huge 2026 Stage
Baylor is leaning into one of the biggest early moments of its 2026 season by bringing back a familiar face for the Aflac Kickoff Game. Robert Griffin III, the Heisman Trophy winner who helped define a memorable era for the Bears, will serve as the programs honorary captain when Baylor opens against Auburn at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sept. 5.
Griffin will take part in the pregame coin toss alongside Cam Newton, Auburns honorary captain, in an event that also ties into the Kickoff for a Cause initiative supporting childhood cancer research. For Baylor, it adds a little extra weight and visibility to a high-profile neutral-site stage, with one of the schools most recognizable players helping set the tone before the first snap. [Read more 🡒]
Why Baylor Fans Suddenly Have Real Reason To Believe Again
DJ Lagways arrival has given Baylor something it badly wanted heading into fall camp: a quarterback who looks comfortable, engaged and ready to command the room. The transfer from Florida has reportedly made a strong impression with his work ethic and leadership, and the early buzz around him has centered less on hype than on how naturally he has fit with the offense. For a program trying to regain traction, that kind of early chemistry matters.
Joe Klanderman is trying to give the other side of the ball a similar reset. The defensive coordinator is reshaping the unit by bringing in players from his previous stop and other experienced programs, a sign Baylor is leaning on familiarity and proven backgrounds as it tries to stabilize the defense. Add that to the growing belief around Lagway, and there is at least a real sense in Waco that this fall could feel different. [Read more 🡒]