Offseason wishlist for the Baylor football offense heading into 2026
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Baylor has a lot of replacing and improving to do this offseason. With a large graduating class and loss of a lot of offensive production, Baylor will have to reload through the portal. With some losses in their 2026 recruiting class, there is thought to be more money available to bring in some instant impact players for the 2026 season.
What does the offense lose?
Some notable losses for Jake Spavital's offense include quarterback Sawyer Robertson; tight end Michael Trigg; wide receivers Kole Wilson, Josh Cameron, Kobe Prentice, and Ashtyn Hawkins; and offensive lineman Omar Agbideon. The running back room should stay solid, with four productive backs expected to return in 2026. The offense loses a lot of talent at the skill positions and will need to reload here if the Bears want to recreate the explosiveness of the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Quarterback
It is thought that Baylor will look for a quarterback in the portal. They currently have former 4-star Walker White and 3-star Nate Bennet. While both are talented, both are lacking in certain areas that leave the coaching staff asking questions. While there's no doubt White is a dynamic runner with impressive measurables, his arm talent still leaves something to be desired. On the other hand, Nate Bennet appears to be the opposite, a smaller quarterback who can throw it well but may come across as one-dimensional.
Baylor may have to look for a quarterback in the portal. One guy I like is Colorado State quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, a Texas guy who had a productive 2023 and 2024 in the MWC. He had a troubling 2025, where he only played three games as his team flailed and his coach was fired. Another guy I like is Marcus Stokes from West Florida in the Division II ranks. He was very productive there and has power four talent.
Wide Receiver
With the four leading receivers leaving, it will be expected that Baylor picks up a transfer or two at the receiver position. Louis Brown IV and Jadon Porter will be expected to step up and take on larger roles in the receiving core, along with some of the highly touted freshmen from the 2025 class. If Baylor can pick up a top 15 transfer wide receiver with production at the FBS level and another 3-star transfer with 2 years of eligibility, Baylor's wide receiver room will find itself in a good place to be productive in 2026 and years to come.
Tight End
Michael Trigg was amazing for Baylor this year. His ability to act as a large receiver and blocker will be missed. Junior Matthew Klopfenstein is expected to step up in the Trigg role, but he is not a true utility guy like Trigg was. Klopfenstein is a talented blocker, but a receiving tight end will be on the wishlist for the Bears.
Offensive line
Something on the wishlist for the Bears will be an Offensive line coach! The Bears are still lacking an offensive line coach following the departure of Mason Miller midway through the 2025 season. On the personnel side, you are losing your highest graded player on offense and the 6th highest graded guard in the country according to PFF. Other than that, you are not losing anything notable. A replacement guard will be desirable for the Bears, but it is all dependent on the development of the current sophomores and juniors in that offensive line room.
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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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