Baylor’s nationally televised matchup with Colorado gave NFL scouts plenty to chew on, and three Bears in particular came away with their stock trending in the right direction.
Palmer Williams set the tone with a performance that stood out from the opening moments. He kept handing Baylor’s defense ideal field position, and that mattered in a big way against both of Colorado’s quarterbacks.
On several snaps, Williams drove the Buffaloes back inside their own five-yard line, and every time Baylor needed to flip the field, he delivered. He was flawless all afternoon, and he’ll be a key piece again when Baylor heads to Arizona State this weekend.
If he chooses to enter the draft in 2027, an NFL team will absolutely come calling.
Gavin Freeman also made his presence felt. He remains one of DJ Lagway’s most dependable options on every down, and he continues to separate more consistently than anyone else on Baylor’s roster.
Freeman caught the game’s first touchdown and produced the kind of highlight play that traveled well beyond the stadium. His hands and athleticism were on full display against Colorado, and scouts were surely paying attention.
The concern, as always, is size. Without that limitation, he’d likely already be showing up much earlier in mock drafts.
Even so, the talent is obvious, and there’s still plenty of room for him to develop.
On defense, Travion Barnes kept adding to a stock rise that’s been building since the Auburn game. He gives Baylor a level of versatility that Keaton Thomas didn’t provide last season, and he looks comfortable everywhere the defense asks him to line up.
Barnes has been strong in coverage, shows real feel for the game, rarely finds himself out of place, and has become a steady vocal presence for the Bears. That upward draft trajectory should keep moving as the season goes on.
DJ Lagway’s return from the ankle injury he suffered against Auburn was uneven, but it also showed flashes that NFL teams want to see. He still hit high-level throws down the field and handled pressure both inside and outside the pocket, even while clearly not at full strength.
The quarterback situation around him hasn’t helped much, either. Baylor’s offensive line hasn’t opened enough in the run game to let Lagway lean on his biggest strength, the vertical passing attack.
“I am a DJ Lagway defender, through and through. I do not understand the fans who are in the camp of wanting Nate Bennet to start.
Lagway is working his way back from injury, and had to play against the two best teams on Baylor's schedule so far. Lagway's "struggles" so far have been out of his control.
The offensive line has not generated enough in the running game to allow DJ to be able to use his best ability: the downfield passing. Once DJ gets healthy and comfortable, I can see his draft stock flying up.”
In Other News...
Jerome Tang's Kansas State Split Just Got More Interesting For Baylor
Jerome Tangs return to Baylor has already added a familiar face to the Bears bench, but the financial aftermath from his exit at Kansas State is still unfolding in the background. Tang, now serving as Baylors associate head coach, was fired by the Wildcats in February after a difficult season start and a postgame rant Kansas State used to justify ending the relationship for cause, a move that also changed the value of his buyout.
Now the former Kansas State coach and the school are nearing a settlement worth roughly $12 million, with the figure reflecting adjustments tied to his new job. For Baylor, it is one more wrinkle in a split that has already crossed from the coaching carousel into the legal and financial side of the sport, and a reminder that Tangs Big 12 story is still very much being written. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor XC Gets An Unexpected Test After Travel Plans Fall Apart
Baylors mens and womens cross country teams got an unexpected detour this week when a flight cancellation forced a change in plans, sending them to Fayetteville, Arkansas, instead of their original destination in Terre Haute, Indiana. The Bears now head into the 38th annual Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival, where the men will run 8K and the women will tackle 5K against a field that includes several regional programs.
For Baylor, the meet brings a chance to keep building momentum with a full mens lineup for the second time this season and several key runners set to appear. It also drops the Bears into a different kind of test on short notice, with the season set to keep rolling soon in College Station and Stillwater. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Heads To Tempe With Familiar Problems Ready To Define This Game
Late-night road trips tend to expose the same flaws over and over, and Baylor heads to Tempe with several of the same questions hanging over this matchup. The Bears have a chance to settle in against Arizona State under the lights, but the game figures to turn quickly on whether Baylors defense can handle quarterback Cutter Boley and whether the offense can avoid the kind of uneven stretches that have made this season so frustrating.
Baylor also needs clarity around DJ Lagways health and impact, because the offense looks different when he is available and effective. The receiving corps has to do more than flash in spurts, the running game needs better efficiency, and special teams could wind up carrying real weight in a game where third down conversions may decide who gets to control the night. [Read more 🡒]