Baylor's Top 25 Players for 2026: Louis Brown Tries to Climb to the Top of the Receiver Chart

There are not many secrets these days in college football, and one of the worst kept secrets in Waco, Texas is that Baylor is going to have a transition in its passing game this season.

DJ Lagway is here to replace Sawyer Robertson, and the group around him has suffered some attrition as well.

Josh Cameron and Michael Trigg are both off to the NFL, which means that there are opportunities in the passing game that are up for grabs.

The Bears did some work in the transfer portal, but did have a couple of holdovers that could make an impact. One of those players is the next player on our countdown, wide receiver Louis Brown, who comes in at No. 8 on our top 25 list.

Recapping 2025

Baylor Bears wide receiver Louis Brown IV (4) catches a touchdown pass — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Brown was one of the many men who have utilized the transfer portal in this day in age. When he came to Baylor, however, he was stuck behind a talented group of receivers in front of him.

Brown played four games in 2025 before sitting the rest of the season to preserve his redshirt for the 2026 season and theoretically a better opportunity for him to breakout.

Brown was consistently referred to as a breakout candidate during the 2025 season, but now will be looking to make good on those words in 2026. He finished the 2025 season with six catches, 79 yards, and a touchdown.

Why is 2026 Important for Him?

Simply put, the Bears need Brown to be the breakout candidate he was thought to be a season ago. Last year, the receiving corps was deeper and had a large group of guys in front of him including a guy who ended up being an NFL draft pick.

Fading into the background was an option a season ago.

It is not an option this year. Brown took his redshirt in 2025 to be an impact player in 2026. He has to be one for the Bears’ offense to be successful. DJ Lagway has plenty of talent, but is not going to be able to catch his own passes. If Lagway is going to reach his immense potential, he needs someone to catch passes for him.

Louis Brown catches TD pass — Louis Brown X Account

Brown is a big part of that.

Beyond that, Brown is entering his final season as an amateur athlete. A breakout season could give him a look at an NFL training camp in 2026. A quiet final season in college will likely spell the end of Brown’s football career.

No pressure, though.

Prediction

Brown has plenty of talent, and was on the tips of the tongues of a lot of his coaching staff a season ago. He simply could not find his way toward the top of the depth chart. Now, he will have no choice but to get there, and should be thrust into the fire.

The guess here is that enough people have spoken highly about Brown, that they all cannot be wrong. I’m not sure if Brown will lead the team in receiving, but he’ll be a key contributor in the offense throughout the year.

See our full top 25 players:

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