How transfer portal additions are reshaping Baylor's identity
With a disappointing 2024-2025 season in the books, Dave Aranda knew that he needed to take swift and immediate action to help turn around the Bears. With that being said, Aranda and company hit the transfer portal hard and ensured that they brought in the necessary pieces to elevate their team to the next level. Following the closing of the transfer portal window, Baylor had brought in and signed 23 transfers from schools such as the University of Alabama, Oregon, Auburn, and Ohio State, to name a few. Armed with an influx of new talent, Aranda and the Bears were ready to make some noise in the Big 12 for the 2025-2026 season.
Fast-forward to the present, and we are now two games into the 2025-2026 season. With that being said, an interesting question to pose is of the 2025 transfer portal class, which player has had the biggest impact for the Bears thus far? While there is no easy answer to this question, in my opinion, the transfer who has been the biggest difference maker thus far has to be former Alabama wide receiver Kobe Prentice.
Before his time in Waco, Prentice spent 3 seasons with the University of Alabama, where he struggled to earn playing time in a crowded receiver room. During those years, Prentice was relatively effective for the Crimson Tide, finishing with 60 receptions for 780 yards and 3 touchdowns over his 3-year tenure. While his statistics at Alabama were solid, the opportunity to come to Waco and be one of Baylor's featured receivers was enough for Prentice to join Dave Aranda, and so far, that decision has paid serious dividends. Through his first two games, Prentice has been a monster in the red zone for the Bears, always finding a way to get open and close out long drives. Thus far, Prentice has accrued 6 receptions for 101 yards and 3 touchdowns, and looks to be the Bears' No.1 threat in the red zone.
Sawyer Robertson had already put on a show today, then dismantled SMU on the last drive that finished with this TD to Kobe Prentice.
— Travis May (@FF_TravisM) September 6, 2025
425 yards & 4 touchdowns today! pic.twitter.com/fHsOhAW9Et
Only time will tell if Prentice will be able to keep up with his fast-paced start, but if these first two non-conference games have shown me anything, it is that Prentice has the potential to be one of the next great wide receivers for the Bears.
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Josh started covering Baylor athletics in July 2025. Prior to Baylor Bears on SI, he worked as an intern for TheMichiganInsider at 247Sports. Josh graduated from the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, with a bachelor’s degree in economics, where his passion for collegiate athletics continued to grow after attending his first game in The Big House. Combining his analytical background and his affinity for collegiate sports, Josh enjoys providing his unique perspective on the shifting dynamic equilibrium of the collegiate athletics landscape. When not watching sports, Josh enjoys cooking a nice meal, running, and traveling to new places with his friends and family.