3 Baylor Football Players About to Break Out in Fall Camp

Practice is heating up in Waco, and these three Bears are gearing up for a massive breakout year.

Oct 11, 2014; Waco, TX, USA; Baylor Bears helmet and football before the game against the TCU Horned Frogs at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Fall camp is kicking off in Waco, and the vibes around the program are all about how Baylor plans to reload for a run. We know the established stars will grab the headlines, but let's be real: surviving the Big 12 meat grinder comes down to depth and finding those depth guys ready to punch their ticket. Here are three Bears we expect to absolutely tear it up once the pads come on.

Wide Receiver: London Smith

Arguably the best freshman recruit on the roster, I genuinely think this guy can have an immediate impact in college football and will definitely get to see what he can do this fall camp. London possesses too much skill and athleticism not to find his way onto the field, whether it starts through special teams or getting reps behind Ashton Williams and Taz Williams Jr.

Safety: Bo Onu

Nov 22, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Baylor Bears safety Bo Onu (21) against the Arizona Wildcats at Casino Del Sol Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A very physical, versatile weapon that played a reserve role for the Bears last year, appearing in almost all games last year, but lacked much of a production with just nine tackles. Having almost an entirely new defense on the field for this year means players returning have a great chance to see playing time, and Bo is one of those players experienced in this team's defense and will 100% get the chance to prove himself in camp.

Linebacker: Kaleb Burns

Coming off a pretty decent year for a freshman, Kaleb is looking to make a fight to be one of the starting linebackers in this defense. Having 18 tackles playing as a rotation piece in all 12 games last year, he brings familiarity to Aranda's linebacking core. And with the majority of transfers in this group, I expect Burns to take charge and compete for the starting spot next to Travion Barnes.

Nov 29, 2025; Waco, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars quarterback Conner Weigman (1) is pressured by Baylor Bears linebacker Kaleb Burns (41) during the second half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Why Depth Matters

Winning in the Big 12 isn't just from the guys on the posters. You need a rotation full of high-motor players who will fill in and give you good rotations. London Smith is a great example: he's got that elite, game-breaking twitch at wideout that can make him a serious problem for other defenses.

On the other side of the ball, you've got Bo Onu, who can be a real lockdown presence in the secondary; add Kaleb Burns, a physical, sideline-to-sideline monster at linebacker. This is the exact kind of developmental depth Baylor needs to establish if they want to take the next step. We'll see how it shakes out in fall camp.