Baylor Football Stock Up, Stock Down Report: Can Hosea Wheeler Redefine the Defensive Line?
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The Baylor Bears kick off in less than 20 days, and there are only so many practices left for the squad before they face off against Auburn in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
There is simultaneous nervousness and excitement for the crucial season in this era of Baylor football, and I have compiled some humble opinions on where the team might be overvalued or undervalued ahead of the season.
Buying low: the defensive line flips the script in 2026
Last year, Baylor's defensive line was one of the worst in the country. They were at the bottom of the Big 12 barrel in sacks (12) and fumbles forced (4).
This lack of pressure was a huge factor in allowing opposing teams to score an average of 32.6 points a game, a mark that landed them at second-worst in the conference.
Insert Hosea Wheeler and company.
"From a leadership standpoint, [Wheeler] gives us something different; from a playing standpoint, he does all the little things right. So he's vital for our success," said defensive line coach Jacori Greer.
Wheeler is joining the Bears after winning a national championship at Indiana with one of the most elite defensive line units in the country.
"I bring experience. I help a lot of the guys out, the young guys with their hands, their footwork. Usually I can call out plays, help out the dudes," said Wheeler.
I am betting Wheeler and other experienced linemen like Jordan Mack and Zavion Hardy are going to be able to put serious pressure on opponent quarterbacks and be one of the best units for the Bears.
“The defensive line really got after it. It was one heck-of-a-day.”
— Baylor Bears on SicEm365 (@SicEm365) August 18, 2026
Grayson (@GrayGrundhoefer) gives the latest updates from practice🐻⬇️ pic.twitter.com/0mPxLTlRfx
Selling high: The wide receiver room has some question marks
The Bears lost their four top pass catchers of last season, along with quarterback Sawyer Robertson, who boasted one of the best arms in the country.
The Bears have rebuilt the room around returners Louis Brown IV and Taz Williams Jr. while bringing in bigger names like Gavin Freeman and Dre'lon Miller, who both have previous Big 12 experience.
It's easy to be excited about the pass-catching unit, especially after the impressive numbers they had last year with guys like Michael Trigg and Josh Cameron.
But there are some big question marks that are worth noting before buying a ton of stock in the receivers.
First of all, Gavin Freeman. Freeman is the most experienced of the unit and is coming off a season for OSU; he led the offense in yards and receptions but has logged only four touchdowns in two seasons for the Cowboys, who had the worst offense in the Big 12 (14.2 ppg).
Although I think he has high upside, his size and yards-after-catch ability are concerning at best.
Secondly, the only other receiver with notable experience is Dre'lon Miller. Miller is also coming off a rather successful season, logging 130+ yards both rushing and receiving.
But yet again, he is leaving a 3-9 Colorado team with only five touchdowns in his two years with the program.
This will likely leave a lot of pressure on the inexperienced Louis Brown and Taz Williams Jr. to reel in touchdowns and pick up the slack for DJ Lagway, who is still learning the ropes in the Baylor scheme.
I still have high hopes for the Baylor offense, but offensive coordinator Jake Spavital has a daunting task of building chemistry between a new quarterback and a completely revamped wide receiver corps.
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Bennett is an undergrad student at Baylor University, studying journalism on the sports track. He is from the DFW area and grew up playing and watching sports, which inspired him to pursue sports writing.
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