Which Players From the Transfer Portal Can Make an Instant Impact for Baylor Football?
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College football is back!
Well, almost. Baylor football starts fall camp with the rest of the world this month, and will be looking to rebound from a disastrous season that saw them finish 5-7 and miss out on a bowl game.
Dave Aranda kept his job going into the 2026 season, but this is clearly a make-or-break season for the embattled head coach. The stakes are simple. Win, or else.
In order to win, Aranda had to find ways to improve the roster that saw its starting quarterback and two leading pass catchers walk out the door and into the NFL.
Replacing Sawyer Robertson, Josh Cameron, and Michael Trigg is going to be no simple task, but the Bears are going to have to do it if they want to have any semblance of success this season.
Part of their path to improvement was finding players via the transfer portal, and there is no time for those players to find their footing in Waco. Some players need to make an impact immediately, and that starts specifically on offense, with the most important position.
DJ Lagway
The most consequential add for the Bears this offseason was at quarterback. With Sawyer Robertson off to the NFL, uncertainty at the quarterback position coming off a down year was a terrifying prospect for Dave Aranda and his team.
Instead, the Bears were able to get a prodigal son to return home. DJ Lagway transferred from Florida in order to return to his father’s old stomping grounds.
Now, Lagway is being built up as the savior of the program. Maybe that is not fair, but these are unfair times in college football.
Lagway had 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions a season ago, so he is far from a finished product. The Bears are going to need a better season than that from the crown jewel of their portal recruiting class.
He will get every opportunity to succeed as offensive coordinator Jake Spavital built his entire offense around Lagway’s skill set.
If Lagway improves from what he did a season ago at Florida, Baylor will have a fighting chance in any game they play. If he doesn’t, it could be another long year.
Gavin Freeman
Of course, Lagway is not going to be able to catch his own passes, and is going to need some help once the ball leaves his hand.
One of the players who was brought in to create easy offense was do-it-all slot receiver Gavin Freeman. Freeman made his way through both major Oklahoma schools before transferring to Baylor this offseason.
He can run the ball, catch passes, and play as a returner. He is the perfect fit as a slot receiver in Spavital’s offense, and has the most experience of the receivers on campus. His ability to create offense could provide Lagway with a safety blanket as he tries to adjust to his new surroundings.
Dre’lon Miller
The other transfer receiver from this year’s class was Colorado’s Dre’lon Miller.
Miller has limited experience playing for Deion Sanders at Colorado, but does have enough talent to cause people to dream about what could be in a new environment.
Miller also has the size to move to play both inside and out in this offense. In a room that is incredibly competitive, that could keep Miller on the field when they start rotating players.
Last season, Miller caught 20 passes for 158 yards and a touchdown. As a do-it-all type of player, he also carried the ball 46 times for 134 yards and a touchdown. In 2024, during Miller's freshman season, he caught 32 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns. He’s lined up at quarterback, running back, and receiver during his college career, so there is some versatility to Miller’s game that could give Jake Spavital plenty of tools in his toolbox to try and trick opposing defenses.
Hosea Wheeler
Shifting to the defensive side of the ball, the most impactful transfer was a man who played for a national championship a season ago.
Hosea Wheeler’s eligibility is uncertain at this point as he’s a sixth year senior, set to have a hearing on August 11 to determine whether he’s able to play in 2026.
Whether he is or isn’t has massive ramifications for Baylor’s defense which was mostly dreadful a season ago.
Wheeler has the size to intimidate opposing offenses and push the pocket in the middle of Dave Aranda’s defense. He has played in the biggest games, helping win a national championship a season ago for the Hoosiers.
His leadership capabilities are best utilized if he is on the field instead of playing the role as a de-facto coach. Baylor’s defensive potential could hinge on whether or not Wheeler is able to suit up for them.
After a five win season, #Baylor doesn’t have a plethora of returning starters, however, there are a few who have something to prove in fall camp.
— Baylor Bears On SI (@BaylorBearsOnSI) August 3, 2026
These four Bears have the most to prove in camp.
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Jacob Westendorf is a contributing writer for Baylor Bears on SI. He is also a writer covering the Green Bay Packers for Packers on SI. Westendorf graduated from University of Wisconsin-Green Bay where he earned a degree in communication with an emphasis in journalism and mass media. He worked in newspapers in Green Bay and Rockford, Illinois. He also interned at Packer Report for Bill Huber while earning his degree. In 2018, he became a staff writer for PackerReport.com, and a regular contributor on Packer Report's "Pack A Day Podcast." In 2020, he founded the media company Game On Wisconsin. In 2023, he rejoined Packer Central, which is part of Sports Illustrated Media Group.