Baylor plummets in 2026 recruiting rankings as Texas rivals surge ahead
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The Baylor Bears needed stability heading into National Signing Day. Instead, the Bears walked straight into a rankings freefall that has left them with the lowest-rated 2026 recruiting class of any Texas program in the Top 100 and the weakest class of the Dave Aranda era.
The losses were public and painful. The Michigan Wolverines, Texas Longhorns, and several others flipped Baylor’s top commits earlier in the week, and the fallout is now reflected on the recruiting board.
Baylor Sits Last Among Texas Programs in Top-100
The numbers tell the full story. According to 247Sports’ state-based 2026 rankings:
- Texas ranks 8th nationally (23 commits, three five-stars)
- Texas A&M sits 9th (25 commits, one five-star)
- Texas Tech ranks 19th (20 commits, two five-stars)
- SMU sits 24th
- Houston ranks 37th (one five-star)
- TCU ranks 38th
- Even Texas State , who is not even in a Power 4 conference, sits 61st
- Baylor: 80th with only 12 commits
That puts the Bears behind every major Texas program and even below an ascending Texas State. It also marks Baylor’s lowest class under Aranda, far below the previous low-water mark of 53rd in 2024. That class was ultimately salvaged by the transfer portal, highlighted by the arrival of former Ole Miss tight end Michael Trigg. This time, the portal may need to do even more heavy lifting.
Breaking Down Baylor’s 12-Man Class
Despite the overall ranking, the Bears did land several foundational pieces:
Four-stars
- DL Jae’lin Battle
- RB Ryelan Morris
- WR London Smith
- OL Donel Robinson
Three-stars
- WR Davion Peters
- CB Jamarion Richardson
- S Jordan Davis
- LB Jamarion Phillips
- QB Quinn Murphy
- TE Kai Wesley
- DL Tyrone Morgan
- TE Parker Almanza
This is a class with some blue-chip talent at the top but limited volume, limited depth, and very little margin for developmental misses.
Aranda Responds to Drop After President Highlighted Recruiting Success
The timing adds pressure. Baylor President Dr. Linda Livingstone publicly cited recruiting momentum as a key reason for retaining Aranda, right before the class cratered. Asked how he reconciles the drop and whether he has discussed it with administration, Aranda didn’t deflect.
“I think it was a difficult fight all the way through. I think all of it is going to be difficult,” Aranda said. “Every day we wake it’s going to be a fight to get this thing flipped… We were in some big fight there and didn’t come out on top of it. We're happy for the guys that we got and excited about the guys that want to be here and want to build to make this place a winning program again.”
His answer underscored a clear reality: Baylor is fighting uphill, daily, in a new era of NIL, portal mobility, and in-state competition. A 5-7 finish, no bowl game, and a depleted class create a simple mandate - Baylor must dominate the transfer portal. With seniors like Sawyer Robertson, Michael Trigg, and Josh Cameron moving on, roster holes are widening at key spots.
The Bears salvaged 2024 with aggressive portal work. They may need an even stronger turnaround to stabilize 2026 and prevent the program from falling further behind the rest of Texas.
More From Baylor On SI
- Baylor set to lose defensive line coach to Oregon State
- Early Signing Day: Productive 4-star WR London Smith signs with Baylor Football
- Early Signing Day: Liberty Christian QB Quinn Murphy signs with Baylor Football
- How one respected NBA Draft analyst views Baylor's potential draftees
- Baylor loses another football commit ahead of early signing day
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.