Baylor football reaches out to Oklahoma State transfer, a top player at his position
According to a recent report from On3's Pete Nakos, there are a plethora of programs that have reached out to Oklahoma State's offensive lineman Noah McKinney, who will enter the transfer portal following Mike Gundy's firing.
Programs such as Illinois, Michigan State, Florida State, Utah, and Baylor, among others, have all reached out to the lineman in hopes of bringing him to their school.
McKinney entered the portal on Thursday, but he announced that he would finish the season with the Cowboys before selecting his new school. The lineman has one year of eligibility remaining.
A top player at his position
Oklahoma State is a very bad football team, but McKinney has been one of the bright spots on the team. Looking at Pro Football Focus, McKinney is the No. 57-ranked offensive lineman in the entire country with a 82.7 pass-blocking grade (min. of 100 snaps).
McKinney has allowed four pressures and two sacks as the starting right guard for Oklahoma State this season. When he played against Baylor, McKinney didn't allow any pressures in the 78 snaps he played against the Bears.
The 6-foot-4, 330-pound lineman started his career with UNLV before transferring into the Cowboys' program in 2023.
Baylor could use McKinney in 2026
It's not a shock to see Baylor reach out to McKinney. He hails from Frisco (TX) and is in the Bears' territory for recruiting. Also, Baylor will be losing some of its starting linemen after this season. Three of the five starting linemen are set to graduate and the Bears will need to fill those voids. McKinney would be an instant plug-and-play starter for Baylor in 2026.
The Bears love to throw the football, and while Baylor won't have Sawyer Robertson next season, the Bears will likely still want to air the ball out next season. Adding a proven pass blocker to the mix next season would be great for Baylor.
While McKinney is a great pass blocker, he would need to work on his run-blocking ability. Per PFF, McKinney has a 58.7 run-blocking grade, which Baylor would want to see improved. The Bears have Bryson Washington, Michael Turner, and Caden Knighten, in which Baylor enjoys to open the passing attack with its run game.
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Trent is the Publisher of Baylor Bears on SI and also serves as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines on SI. His work has additionally been featured on Maryland on SI, Wisconsin on SI, and across the USA TODAY Sports network. Trent’s love of sports and being able to tell stories to fans is what made him get into writing.