Baylor offers all-conference transfer offensive lineman

This American Conference OL graded out as the seventh-best lineman in the league

Sep 20, 2025; Waco, Texas, USA; A Baylor Bears helmet sits on the team bench prior to a game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

The Baylor Bears are starting to make moves in the transfer portal to fill some immediate needs along their offensive line. Dave Aranda and his assistants put out an offer to a talented offensive tackle, Braydon Nelson of North Texas.

At 6-foot-4, 321 pounds, Nelson was named All-American Conference second-team this season. In addition, Nelson is a Top 25 player at his position per 247 Sports. Nelson possesses elite athleticism as he was also a track and field athlete in high school, participating in the discus and the shot put events. He posted personal bests of 48-2.5 feet in the shot put and 171-0 in the discus.

Nelson graded out for the 2025 season at 73.2, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). That was the seventh-best grade in the league among offensive linemen. In addition, he is versatile enough to play both tackle spots.

Baylor Offered pic.twitter.com/4zs8M5bBby

— Braydon Nelson (@BraydonNelson1) January 2, 2026

In 2025, Nelson anchored an offensive line for the No. 1 scoring offense in the FBS and provided blocking for a rushing offense that scored 49 rushing touchdowns, the most in the country. By contrast, Baylor scored just 12 rushing TD’s during the 2025 campaign.

Today was the first day that the transfer portal was open. It will remain open for two weeks. Over 1,100 players were in the portal within seven hours of the portal being open.

That is 1,100 players that must find and secure a spot on a new team, enroll in that new school, register for classes at the new school and secure housing, all within a two-week period. That will cut it close when you consider some schools begin classes on January 20.

Four of the Bears offensive linemen have entered the portal. That does not include the three starters that exhausted their eligibility at the end of the 2025 season: Omar Aigbedion, Sidney Fugar and Ryan Lengyel.

So needless to say, that meeting room is a little less crowded now. Aranda and his staff have made both lines a top priority, so if they can get Nelson’s signature on the dotted line, that would be a huge help.

More From Baylor On SI

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• Versatile SEC transfer OL lists Baylor among his schools to visit
• Baylor targets JUCO star lineman Kaden Briggs to rebuild defensive line
• National publication links Baylor to a top-10 transfer target
• Crown jewel of Baylor's 2025 football recruiting class to transfer out of Waco