Grading Baylor Football's Biggest Transfers After Nine Games
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Baylor brought in 30 players through the transfer portal this offseason, hoping to address several weaknesses and surround quarterback DJ Lagway with enough talent to compete in the Big 12.
The Bears secured bowl eligibility with Saturday's 42-31 Homecoming win over Iowa State, improving to 6-3 overall and 4-2 in conference play.
With three regular-season games remaining, here's how eight of Baylor's most notable transfers have performed, factoring in their preseason expectations, season-long production and contributions against Iowa State.
DJ Lagway, QB (Florida): B+
Lagway arrived from Florida as Baylor's most highly anticipated transfer, but the junior quarterback's first season in Waco has been a roller coaster.
An ankle injury suffered in the season opener against Auburn sidelined him for two games and limited his mobility early in the year. Through seven appearances, Lagway has completed 53.7% of his passes for 1,900 yards, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions.
He showed his potential against Arizona State, throwing for 306 yards and four touchdowns while adding a rushing score in Baylor's 55-19 victory. He then struggled in consecutive losses to TCU and Kansas, completing 22 of 53 passes against the Horned Frogs before throwing for 236 yards, one touchdown and an interception against the Jayhawks.
Lagway has looked much sharper since Joe Klanderman took over, throwing for 319 yards and four touchdowns against UCF before adding 229 passing yards, two touchdowns and a career-high 119 rushing yards against Iowa State.
Lagway's recent performances have been impressive, but his inconsistency prevents him from earning an A.
Gavin Freeman, WR (Oklahoma State): A+
Freeman has been everything Baylor could have hoped for when it brought him in from Oklahoma State, emerging as the team's most reliable offensive player.
The fifth-year senior leads the Bears with 69 receptions for 852 yards and three touchdowns, putting him on pace for 1,136 receiving yards over 12 games. He's also led Baylor in catches in all nine contests, producing consistently even when the offense has struggled to move the ball.
Freeman opened the season with 154 receiving yards against Auburn and has surpassed 100 yards four times, including 123 against Kansas and 114 against UCF.
Although his three touchdowns are modest, Freeman's consistency and production have made him arguably the most successful addition in Baylor's transfer class.
Devon Jordan, CB (Oklahoma): A
Jordan has emerged as one of Baylor's most productive defensive playmakers since arriving from Oklahoma.
The junior cornerback has recorded 33 tackles, four interceptions and three pass breakups through nine games. His four interceptions lead Baylor and account for nearly half of the team's nine picks.
His biggest moment came against Kansas, when he returned an interception 42 yards for a touchdown to help Baylor overcome an early deficit.
Jordan has given the Bears a much-needed turnover threat in a secondary that has allowed just nine passing touchdowns this season.
Garrick Ponder, EDGE (Southern Miss): A
Ponder has been one of the driving forces behind Baylor's improved pass rush since transferring from Southern Miss.
The fifth-year senior leads the Bears with 10 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks, adding 24 tackles, three quarterback hurries, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick.
Baylor recorded another three sacks and nine tackles for loss against Iowa State, bringing its season sack total to 37. That's the fourth-highest single-season total in program history and just nine shy of the school record.
Although Baylor's run defense has struggled at times against talented backs, Ponder has consistently found ways into opposing backfields. His production has made him one of the team's most valuable defensive transfers.
Hosea Wheeler, DL (Indiana): B
Wheeler arrived from Indiana with national championship experience and considerable expectations, but the sixth-year defensive tackle's individual production has been somewhat modest.
He's recorded 22 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks through nine games. However, his stats don't tell the full story for an interior lineman, whose responsibilities often involve occupying blockers and creating opportunities for teammates.
Wheeler has contributed to one of Baylor's strongest position groups, but he hasn't been as individually productive as several other defensive additions.
Daniel Cobbs, S (Kansas State): A−
Cobbs has quietly become one of Baylor's most productive defensive additions since arriving from Kansas State.
The senior safety has recorded 32 tackles, five tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and three pass breakups through nine games.
His sack total is particularly impressive for a safety, giving Klanderman another option when bringing pressure from the secondary. Cobbs also recorded four tackles and a pass breakup against Iowa State.
Jordan has received more attention for his takeaways, but Cobbs has made an impact in several different ways. His versatility and production make him one of Baylor's better offseason acquisitions.
Dre'lon Miller, WR (Colorado): D+
Miller was one of Baylor's more intriguing offseason acquisitions after transferring from Colorado, but his production has fallen well short of expectations.
The junior receiver has caught just eight passes for 133 yards and one touchdown through nine games, averaging fewer than 15 receiving yards per contest.
He's shown occasional flashes of his potential, including a 36-yard reception against UCF and a 32-yard catch against Iowa State.
However, those big plays have been few and far between. Miller has struggled to establish a consistent role in Baylor's passing attack, with several returning receivers getting more opportunities.
Traevon Mitchell, DL (South Florida): A−
Mitchell has been one of Baylor's more productive defensive linemen since transferring from South Florida, recording 21 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and three sacks through nine games.
The fifth-year senior's tackles for loss rank among the team's highest totals, trailing Ponder among the transfers on this list.
Mitchell contributed a sack against UCF as Baylor recorded seven sacks and 12 tackles for loss while holding the Knights to just 66 rushing yards. He followed that performance with five tackles against Iowa State.
He hasn't received the same attention as some of Baylor's bigger-name transfers, but his ability to disrupt plays behind the line of scrimmage has made him one of the class's better additions.
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Blake Hollingsworth is a Baylor University graduate who began covering sports with the Baylor Roundup yearbook, where he wrote about Baylor athletics. He later worked as a reporter for the Waco Tribune-Herald, covering breaking news and enterprise stories. A lifelong sports fan, Blake enjoys telling in-depth stories that give fans greater insight into the teams and athletes they follow.