Baylor misses two portal wide receivers while searching for DJ Lagway’s no. 1 target
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Baylor’s push to surround its new quarterback, Florida Gators transfer DJ Lagway, with playmakers has hit an early snag. Despite heavy portal activity elsewhere, the Bears have come up empty in their first two notable pursuits at wide receiver, an area now bordering on urgent following major offseason departures.
RELATED: Baylor transfer portal tracker: Every player coming in and out of the program in 2026
Portal Misses at Receiver Add Pressure
The most recent miss came with Cade Wolford, a Kent State Golden Flashes transfer who Baylor offered on January 5. Just three days later, Wolford committed to Cincinnati, removing one of the more versatile offensive weapons from Baylor’s board.
🚨BREAKING🚨 Kent St. transfer wide receiver Cade Wolford has committed to UC.
— BearcatJournal.com (@BearcatJournal) January 8, 2026
The freshman had 509 yds receiving on 26.8 ypc.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and the 120th ranked player in the 247 portal rankings.
Iowa, Baylor, Wake, OKST, and UCF also showed interest.
Wolford was one of the most intriguing skill players in the portal. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound Ohio native posted 509 receiving yards and seven touchdowns as a freshman while averaging a staggering 26.8 yards per catch. He also added 12 carries for 96 yards and a score, logging snaps across the formation, 165 in the slot, 24 out wide, and 30 from the backfield. His 80.3 Pro Football Focus grade and four-star transfer rating helped him climb to No. 120 overall in the 247Sports portal rankings and the 32nd-best wide receiver available.
Baylor also missed on South Alabama transfer Jeremey Scott, who committed to TCU after drawing interest from several Power Four programs. Scott, a 6-foot-3, 208-pound redshirt freshman, broke out in 2025 with 24 receptions for 417 yards and four touchdowns, including a 74-yard score. He becomes TCU’s first wide receiver addition of the portal cycle, another opportunity Baylor couldn’t close.
Lagway Needs a True Go-To Option
Those losses loom larger given what Baylor is trying to build around Lagway. The Bears made national headlines by landing the former five-star quarterback, but the next step of finding him a true go-to target remains unresolved.
Lagway flashed upside with the Gators, but inconsistency follows him, as he finished the season with 16 touchdowns against 14 interceptions. Improving that ratio will require more than just schematic tweaks. Baylor needs a receiver who can win consistently, command coverage, and provide a safety valve when plays break down. With what the roster has left from the 2025 season, that player is not currently with the Bears.
Young Talent, But No Proven No. 1 Yet
Baylor’s receiver room is undergoing a significant transition. Josh Cameron, Kole Wilson, Ashtyn Hawkins, and Kobe Prentice are all NFL-bound, stripping the offense of its top producers. Cameron led the way with 69 receptions for 872 yards and nine touchdowns. Wilson was solid as well with 44 receptions for 591 yards and five touchdowns, while Prentice emerged as a red-zone weapon despite missing time due to injury.
Internally, sophomore Jadon Porter and senior Louis Brown IV are now at the forefront. Both showed flashes in 2025, but 2026 must be the year one of them emerges as a legitimate No. 1 option. Freshmen Taz Williams, Ashton Jones, and Jacorey Watson add promise, but counting solely on youth would be a gamble.
— 𝑇𝑎𝑧 𝑊𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑚$ 𝐽𝑟 (@Taz_1x) January 8, 2026
Meanwhile, head coach Dave Aranda has leaned into his roots through the portal, stacking the defense and trenches. Baylor has landed six defensive transfers, highlighted by four-star edge rusher Ryan Davis, along with three offensive linemen.
The foundation is taking shape, but the skill-position piece is still missing. Until Baylor lands a proven pass catcher capable of easing the load on Lagway, the Bears’ portal success will remain incomplete.
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Jalon Dixon is a sports journalist with a passion for covering basketball at every level. He has written extensively on men’s and women’s college basketball, as well as the NBA, building a reputation for clear analysis and thoughtful storytelling. His work focuses on the players, programs, and trends shaping the sport, offering readers insight that goes beyond the box score. Whether breaking down a key matchup or highlighting emerging talent, Jalon’s goal is to provide balanced coverage that connects fans to the game’s strategy, culture, and ongoing evolution.