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Baylor targets Kansas State safety Colby McCalister in transfer portal reload

As the portal opens, Baylor targets help in the secondary, extending an early offer to former Kansas State safety Colby McCalister.
Jacob Haddadin|
Colby McCalister lining up at Safety against Arizona
Colby McCalister lining up at Safety against Arizona | via @ColbyMcCalister on X

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With the transfer portal now open, Baylor has begun sending out offers in an effort to reload a depleted roster. One of those went to former Kansas State safety Colby McCalister, rated a 0.8437 by 247Sports out of high school. Colby is from Friendswood, Texas, about three hours southeast of Waco. Colby has spent three years at Kansas State, and will have two years of eligibility remaining wherever ever decides to transfer.

Baylor already has its foot in the door with Colby McCallister, as he has already played three seasons under Joe Klanderman. Klanderman left Kansas State one month ago and joined Baylor's staff as defensive coordinator and safeties coach. He will take over play-calling in 2026 and subtly mentioned that there will be a lot of change in both scheme and personnel.

joe klanderma
Joe Klanderman at Kansas State | On3 Kansas State

Colby is an athletic safety who has seen the field for a strong Kansas State defense over the past couple of years. He has played a role in every game for the Wildcats in 2024 and 2025 and has the ability to create chaos by forcing turnovers, something the Baylor defense desperately needs if it wants to be competitive next year.

Baylor's safeties were okay last year. Senior Devyn Bobby and Junior Jacob Redding headlined the room, with DJ Coleman also playing a significant role. Devyn Bobby intends to take his talent to the NFL, and DJ Coleman has entered the transfer portal, leaving Jacob Redding as the only productive returner. Devin Tuner is expected to return in 2026 after facing a season-ending injury in the summer that sidelined him during 2025. Devin Turner is very promising as he was an All-Big 10 player in his three years at Northwestern.

Overall, Colby McCalister projects as a strong fit for the Bears. He has extensive experience under Klanderman and fills a major position of need while adding an element of chaos to the secondary. Colby currently holds one other portal offer from Rice. No doubt that more offers will roll in as the portal window moves towards its closing date, January 16th. Baylor will have a few more opportunities to recruit Kansas State defensive guys, as Klanderman is well-liked and well-respected among his former players.

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Jacob Haddadin
JACOB HADDADIN

Jacob is a contributor for Baylor Bears On SI. A lifelong sports fan, he started writing game reactions and opinion pieces during Baylor football and basketball seasons, turning that hobby into a growing presence in sports media. He brings an authentic, fan-driven voice to his work and is excited to keep building his voice and breaking down the topics Baylor fans are talking about every day.

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