Baylor Set to Host a Talented Defensive Lineman

Transfer portal season is up and running and things are moving quickly. Teams are recruiting their own players, kids from high school, and kids who are looking for a different opportunity.

It’s a bit like the wild west in college football these days, but that is the world we live in. Playing the game on those terms is paramount, or your program runs the risk of being left behind, or worse, obsolete.

Baylor football is working through some of those things. Baylor is still waiting on an answer from one offensive lineman, and is attempting to add a few other pieces to the defensive side of the ball.

New Target?

On3’s Steve Wiltfong is now reporting that a player on the other side of the line of scrimmage might be considering coming to help them. Defensive lineman from Southern Mississippi, Mason Clinton will be taking a visit to three schools, and Baylor is one of them.

Clinton will have two years of eligibility where he decides to go.

Clinton has been making his way through the ranks at the college level. He started his college career at East Mississippi Community College before making his way to Southern Mississippi for one season.

There are no smaller schools on his list any longer, and Baylor will have its hands full in competing for Clinton’s services.

The other two teams on his list are Florida, and perennial powerhouse Oregon.

One selling point for Baylor could be that its head coach is widely considered one of the top defensive minds in college football.

Before coming to Baylor to be the head coach, Dave Aranda was sought after by multiple college programs for the work that he did at Wisconsin before moving to LSU.

His work at those two programs even led to some whispers that NFL teams would be interested in making him their defensive coordinator.

Clinton could look at that as a potential positive as he tries to put himself in position to play in the NFL when his collegiate career is over.

If Clinton commits to Baylor, he’d likely have a direct path to getting on the field.

What is most important to him has yet to be determined, but those are the key selling points for Baylor. They likely cannot compete with the NIL packages that a school like Florida, or especially Oregon, could offer.

Ace in the Hole?

Jacori Greer is going to be a key piece to this puzzle as well, as the new defensive line coach was hired in late December to help boost the defensive line room.

“His ability to connect with players and develop them to be at their best is inspiring,” Aranda said shortly after the hire.

“He brings an energy and a tenacity to the way he teaches and coaches that is going to be so beneficial to our team and I'm excited to get him to Waco and get him working with our student-athletes and coaches."

That energy and connection could be a key factor here in trying to secure Clinton’s commitment.

New Target?

Ace in the Hole?

More from Baylor on SI