College football’s backfields don’t look the way they used to, and Baylor is no exception. The Bears may draw most of the buzz around the quarterback and the passing game, especially after a significant addition under center, but the run game could wind up being the real engine of the offense.
That’s where Caden Knighten comes in.
Knighten lands at No. 11 on the countdown after a 2025 season in which he handled a meaningful reserve role. He carried the ball 104 times for 469 yards and one touchdown, then added 11 catches for 134 yards and another score as a receiver out of the backfield.
The numbers were steady more than flashy, but that fits the profile. Knighten looks like the kind of player Jake Spavital can trust in a variety of situations, not just on obvious running downs. In an offense that figures to lean heavily on the pass, the little things matter, and Knighten checks a lot of those boxes.
He’s described as a solid receiver and likely the best blocker in the backfield, the sort of back who can help protect DJ Lagway when blitzers come flying in. That kind of reliability can matter just as much as a big run or a highlight catch.
Baylor is also in a stretch where it needs stability, and Knighten has a chance to become one of the early anchors. With so much change around the program, there should be opportunities for players who can settle things down and handle important snaps.
Knighten is entering his upperclassmen years, which gives him a real chance to build something more lasting in the program. He still has work to do if he wants to be remembered as a Baylor standout, but the path is there.
Even if he doesn’t open training camp as the starting running back, Knighten should get chances early while the offense works to find its footing. His receiving ability and blocking should put him in position to become the team’s primary third-down back and earn work in the two-minute offense.
The expectation here is simple: Knighten should see plenty of the field, likely as much as any of the other backs on the roster, especially early in the season.
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His first Baylor season was brief, but the flashes were enough to keep the optimism alive. Barnes played in four games and finished with 11 tackles and a sack before the year was cut short, and since then he has been rehabbing while continuing to learn the system. For a defense still searching for more reliable internal answers, his development remains one of the more important subplots to watch. [Read more 🡒]
Baylors Fall Camp Rankings Reveal One Huge Depth Chart Tension
Fall camp is where Baylors roster reset starts to feel real, and the most obvious changes are showing up on both sides of the ball. The Bears brought in help through the portal and the freshman class, with new faces at receiver, along the defensive front and in the back end, while a handful of returning players are still expected to hold important roles once the season opens.
The deeper look at the roster also points to where the competition is going to get most uncomfortable, especially in a receiver room that had to be rebuilt after so much turnover. Baylor has added enough talent to make the fall camp pecking order worth watching closely, and with Joe Klanderman reshaping the defense, the secondary and the line both have fresh pieces trying to force their way into the mix before the real decisions arrive. [Read more 🡒]