Baylor’s offseason picture may have just shifted in a big way after a new NCAA eligibility ruling out of Colorado opened the door for a group of former Bears to potentially return in 2026.
The court granted a class-wide preliminary injunction that requires the NCAA to declare eligible all class of 2022 athletes who exhausted four seasons of eligibility this spring. For Baylor, that could put several familiar names back on the radar, including Devyn Bobby, Omar Aigbedion, Kobe Prentice and Kole Wilson.
Grayson Grundhoeffer pointed to a few players who could matter to this roster if they end up back in Waco, and the fit is easy to see. Baylor’s offensive line depth has been thin, and the wide receiver room does not have the same depth it has had in recent seasons.
Aigbedion stands out as the biggest potential addition. The former offensive lineman would give Baylor an immediate boost, especially after the unfortunate Yakiri Walker ruling this past week.
In the projected setup, Aigbedion would step right into the starting right guard spot this fall, with Koltin Sieracki moving to center. That kind of shuffle would strengthen the run game and give Lagway more time to push the ball downfield.
The possibility of getting Prentice and Wilson back would also matter. Baylor’s receiver room is still strong at the top, but the drop-off behind the starters is much steeper than it has been the last two years. The Bears were also expected to have Hardley Gilmore IV this season, but he left in the spring, adding to the concern about depth.
One more development has made the idea of a reunion feel less far-fetched: Hosea Wheeler became eligible today. Judge Ryan Luna granted a temporary injunction that allows the Baylor defensive lineman to play this season, with a trial expected within 90-120 days.
For now, it is not clear whether Dave Aranda and his staff are actively pursuing any of these former players. But with Prentice, Wilson and Aigbedion all trying to earn NFL roster spots right now, a return to college football could become a real option if those opportunities don’t materialize in the next couple of weeks.
In Other News...
Former Baylor Starter Suffers A Tough Setback At North Texas
The ripple effects of fall camp injuries are already showing up in the American, and North Texas has one of the more painful examples. Cornerback Caden Jenkins, a former Baylor starter, suffered an ACL injury and will miss the entire 2026 season, a major blow for a Mean Green secondary that was counting on him as an experienced piece on the back end.
North Texas now has to reshuffle its depth chart and ask other defensive backs to absorb a bigger workload right away, just as teams start sharpening their plans for the opener. It is a familiar camp challenge, but losing a player with Jenkins background changes the tone of the competition and leaves the Mean Green waiting to see who can step into a much larger role. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor's 2026 Defensive Line Just Got A Huge Twist
A McLennan County judge has given Baylor defensive lineman Hosea Wheeler a temporary path back onto the field for 2026, adding an unexpected layer to the Bears future on the defensive front. Wheeler has been fighting the NCAAs eligibility ruling, and the courts latest move means he can participate while the case continues, keeping one of Baylors roster questions very much alive heading into the new year.
The dispute now heads toward trial in roughly 90 to 120 days, with Wheelers long-term status still tied to how that case is decided. At the center of the lawsuit is a familiar but consequential eligibility fight: whether his 2021 junior-college season should count against the NCAAs five-year window, a ruling that could shape not only Baylors 2026 plans but Wheelers college career as a whole. [Read more 🡒]