Baylor got through Saturday’s game against Prairie View A&M with little trouble on the scoreboard, but the Bears left the field dealing with a much bigger concern. Defensive tackle Devonte Tezino went down early with a leg injury, and head coach Dave Aranda later confirmed the fifth-year senior is done for the season.
The injury happened on the first drive, when Tezino got pinned underneath Prairie View A&M offensive lineman Cameron Pascal. He immediately motioned for medical help, and Baylor players looked shaken as the training staff rushed in. A few minutes later, Tezino was carted off with a bulky padded wrap around his left leg.
Aranda did not have an in-game update to share because ESPN’s broadcast crew did not include a traditional sideline reporter. The team’s first real confirmation came after the final whistle.
“We were all saying prayers for him,” Aranda said of Tezino.
“I know he's going to come back even stronger and bounce back.”
Tezino’s loss is Baylor’s second season-ending blow on defense. Senior safety Jacob Redding, who led the team in interceptions in 2025, suffered a torn ACL before Week 1.
The timing is especially rough because Tezino had already shown how disruptive he can be. In last week’s matchup with Auburn, Baylor’s defensive front was the story, sacking mobile quarterback Byrum Brown five times. Tezino was credited with two of those on the official box score, while Pro Football Focus had him down for three sacks and four pressures overall.
Now Baylor has to figure out how to replace that kind of interior punch. Nose tackle Hosea Wheeler already carries a heavy load, playing just one fewer snap than Tezino in the opener. Senior defensive tackles Kamren Washington and Jamaal Whyce Jr. combined for 70 snaps in Week 1, so the Bears are already leaning hard on that group.
If the staff needs another body to step in, Traevon Mitchell looks like the next man up after posting three pressures in only 13 snaps last week.
Still, there’s no clean fix for losing Tezino. Baylor can shuffle pieces and adjust the scheme, but his absence leaves a real hole in the middle of that defense.
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