Baylor targets JUCO star lineman Kaden Briggs to rebuild defensive line
In this story:
The Baylor Bears are continuing to reshape their defensive front for 2026, extending a scholarship offer to three-star JUCO defensive lineman Kaden Briggs as the program works to offset significant losses along the line through the transfer portal.
Briggs, a 6-foot-3, 265-pound defender originally from Louisville, Kentucky, has quickly emerged as one of the more active junior-college prospects on the market. The Baylor offer adds to a growing list that now exceeds 20 programs, including West Virginia, Arkansas, Louisville, and several other Power Four contenders. The timing is notable. Baylor’s defensive line has been one of the hardest-hit position groups since the conclusion of the 2025 season, making immediate reinforcements a priority.
Interest in JUCO DL Kaden Briggs (@kaden2briggs) is heating up.
— Nilson Sports (@nilsonsports) December 2, 2025
The 3⭐️ DL has received multiple offers and interest from the following schools:
West Virginia
Arkansas
Louisville
North Texas
Washington State
Hawaii
Western Michigan
Eastern Michigan
Kennesaw State
Georgia State… pic.twitter.com/kM5v2GAhgk
A JUCO profile built on disruption
Briggs’ most recent and complete production came during the 2025 season at Holmes Community College, where he flashed the kind of backfield impact Baylor is searching for. He finished the year with 21 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks, numbers that place him among the more disruptive JUCO interior/edge hybrids in the cycle. He also added three pass breakups and a forced fumble, underscoring versatility and active hands at the point of attack.
That jump in production followed a shorter 2024 stint at Highland Community College in Kansas, where Briggs appeared in three games and still managed to post two sacks, two tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. While the sample size was limited, the efficiency stood out. Nearly a sack per game and consistent penetration helped set the stage for his breakout season at Holmes and elevated his national JUCO profile.
Recruiting services list Briggs as a three-star JUCO prospect with a grade around 0.8000, placing him inside the national top 200 junior-college players and among the top defensive linemen at his level. His frame and background suggest flexibility as either an interior disruptor or a strong-side edge, a trait that aligns with modern Big 12 defensive needs.
Context inside Baylor’s defensive rebuild
Baylor’s interest becomes clearer when viewed against its recent attrition. Since the end of the 2025 campaign, the Bears have seen at least five scholarship defensive linemen or edge players enter the portal. That group includes rotational interior pieces and, more notably, edge rushers who were projected to play significant roles moving forward. The cumulative effect has left both the interior and edge rooms thinner in proven snaps and experience.
Offering Briggs signals a targeted approach. JUCO defenders often provide a middle ground between freshmen development and veteran portal additions, bringing physical maturity and immediate competition to the depth chart. With a new defensive coordinator overseeing the rebuild, Baylor appears intent on adding multiple bodies capable of contributing early rather than relying solely on long-term projections.
Briggs is not a finished product, but his recent Holmes CC production, multi-school experience, and growing offer list suggest upward momentum. For Baylor, the offer represents more than a single recruitment. It reflects a broader effort to stabilize and retool a defensive line that will be central to the Bears’ trajectory in 2026.
More From Baylor On SI
- Baylor transfer portal tracker: Every player coming in and out of the program in 2026
- A look back at how Baylor fared with the transfer portal in 2025
- Baylor starting lineman enters the transfer portal
- National publication links Baylor to a top-10 transfer target
- Crown jewel of Baylor's 2025 football recruiting class to transfer out of Waco
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.