Potential immediate impact freshman for Baylor football in 2025
With Auburn set to roll into McLane Stadium in less than two weeks, Baylor’s going to need more than just its proven vets to make some noise in 2025. A few freshmen have already turned heads in camp, and in some circumstances might force them onto the field quicker than expected. Whether it’s speed in the backfield, juice at receiver, or fresh legs off the edge, these young guys fresh out of high school have the pathway to become immediate contributors as teenagers.
RB Caden Knighten
The most obvious name on the list, Knighten is squarely in line for the second-string running back role after Dawson Pendegrass’ season-ending foot injury, an injury that Knighten suffered on the same foot in high school. Knighten has a ready-made frame for carries, standing at a stout 220 pounds, but his game-breaking speed is what could make major waves for the Bears early on. A two-time Oklahoma 100m state champion, Knighten has clocked in the low 10.7s as a high schooler, and he may have been the fastest back in the room as soon as he stepped on campus. Nicknamed “Nightwing” by senior Omar Aigbedion, Knighten has drawn praise from teammates after enrolling in the spring and from Coach Aranda after a strong showing in both fall camp scrimmages. Knighten spoke to Baylor on SI about needing to improve his pass protection, which is often a learning curve for young backs and a crucial way to earn reps protecting your preseason all-conference quarterback. But, with Bryson Washington in front of him as the workhorse back, Knighten could add a home run element out of the backfield as a pass catcher and in open space that could make this offense that much more dynamic.
We here 🤞🏽 https://t.co/pBaVNrQSDd
— Caden Knighten (@cadenknighten) May 1, 2025
DE Kamauryn Morgan
Morgan, who has already drawn rave reviews from some of his older teammates in the defense end/linebacker room, comes from a storied South Oak Cliff program that has produced college-ready, Week 1 true freshman contributors, with a 2023 recruiting class that produced seven FBS commits. With Baylor losing over half of its sack production from last season (after pressuring opponent quarterbacks was already a weakness for Aranda’s defense in 2024), Aranda spoke to the media about how much it unlocks his defense if the front four can generate pressure with their rush versus being forced to blitz. Morgan has already shown his commitment to making an immediate impact in the weight room, gaining over 40 pounds since his arrival in Waco, which gives him some versatility as someone who could function as a dropping linebacker, a pass-rushing EDGE, or even a penetrating interior inman in certain packages. Morgan stands to learn a ton from transfers Matthew Fobbs-White and Emar'rion Winston, and could make an immediate splash as someone who generates pressure in situational pass rush situations. With top-35 recruit Jamarion Carlton set to come in next year, Morgan and Carlton could be one of the best young pass-rush duos in the country if the Bears can ward off the temptations of the transfer portal.
WR Taz Williams
Even with the momentous decision by the NCAA to grant Ashtyn Hawkins a sixth season of eligibility, Baylor OC Jake Spavital is still exploring Dallas Baker’s wide receiver room to find as dynamic playmakers for Sawyer Robertson. While it looks like a non-freshman newcomer is making the biggest wave in the wide receiver room and making a serious push for WR1, there’s no such thing as too many weapons on the outside. Williams, a Dallas-area Rivals four-star recruit, was a priority recruit for Texas A&M, Penn State, and Michigan (sorry, Trent), and has shown flashes early on while so many blue blood programs were in on him. While Josh Cameron, Ashtyn Hawkins, Louis Brown, and Kobe Prentince all provided a variety of different skillsets, Williams drew acknowledgment from Cameron as the “standout freshman and the most improved overall player this offseason”.
True freshman wideout @Taz_1x continues to flash, high pointing a ball here & drawing some praise from WR coach @CoachDBaker81 later pic.twitter.com/ivv4TE2V04
— Baylor Bears On SI (@BaylorBearsOnSI) August 1, 2025
The receiver room got a much-needed boost with Hawkins’ return, but whether it be injury or lack of performance, Williams, who already has his own Twitter fan page, could prove to be too good to keep on the bench and could see some early time as a playmaker in the slot. Also, with Baylor wrapping up fall camp, redshirt freshman Mason Dosset, another track athlete who switched from safety to wide receiver during his redshirt season, has made splashes during scrimmages and camp, and sports some elite athletic genetics as the son of a former NFL wideout and Baylor track star.
One for the Road
The secondary was undoubtedly a weakness for the Bears in 2025, and, with senior safety Carl Williams still not at 100% with the first game less than twelve days away, and Northwestern transfer and expected starter Devin Turner tearing his ACL during spring you wish you could feel a bit more encouraged about the pass defense if you’re a Bears fan going into the season. Freshman safety Bo Onu is someone generating a decent amount of buzz in practices and in recent scrimmages as someone providing depth and playmaking from the safety spot. If he ends up having to start or see major snaps, that may mean things have gone south for the secondary, but he appears to be a solid second-stringer who could fill in as a spot starter and may be in line for a big jump in 2026.
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Josh began covering Baylor athletics in July 2025. Before this, he previously wrote for Syracuse men's basketball and football at SI from 2022-24. As a former Division I defensive lineman at Prairie View, Josh is passionate about storytelling from a former athlete's perspective. When he's not covering Baylor, he enjoys traveling, listening to podcasts and music, and loves cooking a good meal.