Inside The Bears

Baylor signee shines as defensive MVP in Texas 5A-DII title game

Future Bears linebacker leads South Oak Cliff to their 3rd state championship
Anthony Thomas|
Jan 1, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baylor Bears helmets on the sidelines in the first quarter of the 2022 Sugar Bowl at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-Imagn Images
Jan 1, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baylor Bears helmets on the sidelines in the first quarter of the 2022 Sugar Bowl at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-Imagn Images | Chuck Cook-Imagn Images

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The Baylor Bears 2026 recruiting class is loaded with talent, including three-star linebacker Jamarion Phillips. On Saturday, Phillips was a beast of a defender for the South Oak Cliff Golden Bears as they defeated Richmond Randle 35-19 in the Texas 5A-DII state championship. It was the Golden Bears third state title and their fifth consecutive championship game appearance.

In addition to Phillips, South Oak Cliff had five other players who received scholarship offers from Power 4 schools; a football talent factory, for sure.

For the season, Phillips recorded 90 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and three sacks and was named the district 5-5A division II defensive MVP. In the state title game, Phillips recorded 13 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and an interception for the Golden Bears and was named the defensive MVP in the game.

At 6-foot, 220 pounds, Phillips earned 29 scholarship offers from such schools as Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Ohio State and Texas Tech, to name a few. Phillips signed with Baylor on December 3 during the early signing period.

Phillips is ranked among the Top 100 linebackers in the country, according to 247 Sports. In Baylor’s 2026 recruiting class, Phillips was the only linebacker signed by the Bears. With his athleticism and nose for the football, Phillips could be difficult to keep off the field next fall.

Linebackers Jeremy Evans, KB Winston and Phoenix Jackson will be leaving Waco, creating a depth issue at the position. Starting linebacker Keaton Thomas returns for the Bears and will be a mentor for Phillips and other younger players. Thomas posted over 100 tackles in 2025 for the second consecutive season.

Phillips, Thomas and the rest of the linebacker corps will be learning a new scheme under new defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman. Klanderman teaches an attacking style of defense that is hell-bent on separating the ball from the ball carrier and forcing turnovers.

After some last-minute defections earlier this month, Baylor’s 2026 recruiting class dropped to No. 13 in the Big 12 Conference, according to 247 Sports. Nonetheless, this is a group that includes talented defenders like Phillips and others who will benefit greatly from the teachings of Klanderman and head coach Dave Aranda. Spring practice cannot get here fast enough.

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Anthony Thomas
ANTHONY THOMAS

Tony comes to On SI with six years of experience writing about sports online. His work has been published on such sites as The Gridiron News, Mike Farrell Sports, YardBarker, Athlon Sports and College Football Backers. Tony is a U.S. Air Force veteran and is a member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).

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