Where former Baylor Bears in the transfer portal are headed for 2026 season

Besides the College Football Playoffs, the NCAA football transfer portal has dominated the headlines with big names such as Cam Coleman, Sam Leavitt and Chaz Coleman amongst thousands of players looking for a new home for the 2026 season.

As said in previous articles, the Baylor Bears have been one of the hardest hit programs via the portal (32 players from the 2025 roster), despite retaining head coach Dave Aranda after a disappointing 5-7 season in 2025. With the portal closing to new entrants this Friday, January 16th, things are beginning to calm down as the last batch of players commit to new programs. Let’s look at where each of the Baylor Bears who entered the portal is headed.

Keaton Thomas (Linebacker) - Ole Miss

Thomas led the Bears in tackles in 2025 and is a massive loss in the middle of the defense. The rising senior from Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida entered the portal on 12/22 and committed to the Ole Miss Rebels on 1/3.

Coleton Price (Center) - Kentucky

Price became a stalwart for the Bears' offensive line the past two seasons with 31 consecutive starts. Price entered the portal on January 2nd and committed to the Kentucky Wildcats three days later.

Bryson Washington (Running back) - Auburn

Washington led the Bears with over 800 rushing yards in 2025. Similar to Thomas and Price, the redshirt junior from Franklin, Texas committed to a program with a new head coach in the Auburn Tigers.

DJ Coleman (Safety) - Florida

A starter who became one of the more consistent safeties in the Big 12, Coleman entered the portal on it’s opening day and became the Florida Gators first transfer commit on January 4th.

Emar’rion Winston (Edge Rusher) - Arizona State

Winston transferred to Baylor from Oregon before the 2025 season and proceeded to lead the Bears with 3.5 sacks. Winston entered the portal on January 4th before committing to Arizona State on January 9th.

Kamauryn Morgan (Edge Rusher) - Virginia Tech

Morgan, Baylor’s highest-rated 2025 high school recruit by multiple sites did not make much of an impact in his one year in Waco. Morgan committed to new head coach James Franklin and Virginia Tech on January 9th.

Sean Thompkins (Offensive line) - LSU

Thompkins announced his intentions to enter the portal in mid-December and chose North Carolina on January 6th. But on Friday, Jan. 16, Thompkins flipped to LSU.

Phoenix Jackson (Linebacker) - Arkansas

After a busy season opener versus Auburn, Jackson suffered a season-ending injury and never got the chance to take on the expected leadership role. Jackson entered the portal on January 2nd and committed to the Arkansas Razorbacks on January 8th.

Jeremy Evans (Linebacker) - Arkansas

The redshirt junior announced he was entering the portal in early December and follows fellow linebacker Phoenix Jackson to the Arkansas Razorbacks, Evans committed to the Hogs on January 9th (one day after Jackson).

DK Kalu (Defensive line) - Florida

Kalu enterted the portal on December 12th and only took three days after the portal opened to commit to the Florida Gators, joining Baylor teammate DJ Coleman.

Matthew Fobbs-White (Edge rusher) - Virginia

The rising senior started his college career at Tulane before playing at Baylor in 2025. The Louisiana native entered the portal on January 2nd and committed to the Virginia Cavaliers on January 7th.

Kelsey Johnson (Tight end) - Liberty

Johnson, unfortunately, found himself behind a John Mackey Award finalist in Michael Trigg and never got the opportunity to show his talents. After four seasons in Waco, Johnson will finish his collegiate career with the Liberty Flame (committed on Monday).

Carl Williams IV (Cornerback) - Oregon

Williams burst onto the scene as a standout freshman in 2023 but due to injuries and some inconsistent play, he could not replicate the success in 2024 or 2025. Williams will spend his last college season with the Oregon Ducks; he committed to the CFP semi-finalists on Monday.

Colton Thomasson (Offensive line) - UNLV

Thomasson started his career at Texas A&M before spending the past two seasons with Baylor, where he earned consistent playing time in 2025. The redshirt junior committed to the UNLV Rebels on January 7th.

Walker White (Quarterback) - Central Arkansas

One of the most highly touted signal-callers in the 2024 high school recruiting class who began his career at Auburn before landing in Waco for the 2025 season. White never saw the field with Baylor and will head back to his home state to play for the Central Arkansas Bears (FCS).

Kristopher Wokomah (Safety) - UAB

Wokomah barely saw the field during his two seasons in Waco and now will leave his home state to play for the UAB Blazers (committed on January 9th).

Joe Crocker (Offensive line) - Buffalo

Crocker saw time on special teams in 2024 and a handful of snaps on the line in 2025 before entering the portal, where he committed to the Buffalo Bulls on January 11th.

Caden Jenkins (Cornerback) - North Texas

Jenkins had a fantastic freshman season in 2023 with three interceptions and was named a Second-Team Freshman All-American. Things slowly went downhill for Jenkins, which ended with him being dismissed from the team during the 2025 season. Jenkins committed to the North Texas Mean Green on January 8th.

Cameren Jenkins (Cornerback) - North Texas

The younger brother of Caden Jenkins, who finished the 2025 season with Baylor. As expected, the younger Jenkins will follow his older sibling to the North Texas Mean Green (committed on January 7th).

Joseph Dodds (Running back) - Stephen F. Austin

Dodds was clearly the third string back behind Washington and Knighten during the 2025 season. He did finish on a strong note with 12 carries, 61 yards and a touchdown in the season finale versus Houston. For the season, he had 26 carries, 104 yards and a touchdown. The redshirt freshman from Markham, Texas committed to the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks of the FCS level.

Connor Hawkins (Kicker) - Ohio State

The redshirt freshman put together a strong campaign in his first season as the starting kicker in Waco. Hawkins nailed all 37 extra point attempts and went 18 for 22 on field goals. Hawkins entered the portal on Wednesday and committed to the Ohio State Buckeyes the same day.

Samu Taumanupepe (Defensive Line) - Florida

The redshirt sophomore from Humble, Texas started his career at Texas A&M (three games in two years) before landing in Waco for the 2025 season. Taumanupepe played six games and notched two tackles for Baylor in 2025. He announced his commitment to the Florida Gators, the third Baylor Bear, to do so, on January 15th.

Wes Tucker (Offensive Line) - Abilene Christian

Not much to say about his play as he has not seen the field during his three years in the program after being a standout offensive lineman at Argyle High School in Texas. Tucker will take a step down to the FCS level after committing to the Abilene Christian Wildcats on January 10th.