Dave Aranda praises four-star recruit London Smith as Baylor’s next go-to receiver
Baylor needed a headliner in its 2026 class and coach Dave Aranda made it clear on National Signing Day that four-star wide receiver London Smith is exactly that. Instead of a traditional press conference, Aranda sat on the floor with reporters and walked them through film on each signee. When Smith’s clips rolled, the Baylor head coach didn’t hesitate.
“London’s a leader. London’s a dawg. London is a competitor... He loves Baylor. He wants to be here. He wants to win. He wants to flip it.”
I actually really like what Dave did today for his presser. I dont think we even had a signing day presser the past 2 years. This film break down is a fun way to do this.
— T-REX (@T_REX1991) December 4, 2025
Dont let the emotions of the last few weeks cloud an otherwise fun & unique thing. #SicEm https://t.co/E8gCIifNZk
Those traits matter now more than ever for a program trying to stabilize its future. And Smith’s commitment never wavered.
A Loyal Commit With a Texas Pedigree
Smith committed to Baylor back in January, at a time when Texas powers and national contenders were circling and stayed locked in for 11 months. He held 30 scholarship offers, choosing the Bears over Alabama, Ole Miss, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Georgia, and Houston, among others. Loyalty, he said, was non-negotiable.
“Baylor was my second offer so them just being there for me, that just means a lot to me" London told reporters after making his commitment official. "I’m loyal so if I say I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it.”
Here is what Baylor football commit London Smith had to say about sticking with Baylor and staying in Waco. pic.twitter.com/uTSNBE5qZG
— Royden Ogletree (@roydenogletree) December 3, 2025
That mindset resonated in Waco. Baylor hasn’t had many recruiting wins stand firm throughout the turbulence of the last two cycles. Smith became one of them. His resume backs up the hype. Smith leaves high school with 211 catches, 3,557 receiving yards, and 46 touchdowns, plus two interceptions as a two-way standout. The baseline expectation: he plays early.
Immediate Impact Potential in a Wide-Open Room
The Bears will enter 2026 with their top five pass catchers in Josh Cameron, Michael Trigg, Ashtyn Hawkins, Kole Wilson, and Kobe Prentice, will all be gone. No returning receiver logged double-digit receptions or even 100 receiving yards this past season. The closest is Jadon Porter, who finished with nine catches for 94 yards. That creates an opening. And Smith is walking into it.
As one of only two receivers in Baylor’s 2026 class and the highest-rated pass catcher in the group, he is positioned to become a day-one starter. His combination of production, competitiveness, and reliability gives Baylor something it has lacked since Cameron emerged as an unexpected star: a long-term No. 1 receiver to anchor the offense.
If Smith’s loyalty holds true through his Baylor career, the Bears could have a four-year foundation piece at a position of need much like Cameron, who arrived with far less recruiting buzz but left as one of the program’s most dependable players of the Aranda era. Smith brings the pedigree. Now he’ll be asked to bring the production. And on National Signing Day, Aranda made one thing clear: Baylor believes he will.
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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.