Inside The Bears

Baylor football 4-star target responds to Texas Tech social media fan account

The social media shenanigans of one rival's Big 12 opponent may have pushed a priority recruit towards Waco

Josh Crawford

Oklahoma State Interim Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator Doug Meacham and Dave Aranda talk before the college football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Baylor Bears at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025.
Oklahoma State Interim Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator Doug Meacham and Dave Aranda talk before the college football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Baylor Bears at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Recently, four-star edge rusher and 2027 Houston (TX) Cy Falls prospect Kaden McCarty announced that he is set to make his college commitment on December 8th.

All five of McCarty's final schools are in the state of Texas (Houston, Baylor, Texas, Texas Tech, and Texas A&M), and while our Trent Knoop reported that Texas A&M appears to be a leader in the clubhouse, a recent social media interaction may have had tangible effects on McCarty's decision in two months.

In response to the Rivals' social media post announcing McCarty's decision date, an X account with the handle @MatadorKingdom, which appears to be a Texas Tech fan account, replied to the post, saying "Why is a high school in his top five?", most likely a dig at Baylor and the non-blue-blood nature of the program in comparison to some of McCarty's finalist.

To that, McCarty responded poignantly, "relationships matter to me not the school." He later doubled down on that sentiment in another tweet, saying "Relationships don't matter to me. I was raised different. I dont [sic] get excited by shiny things.". That could be interpreted as a dig towards the Tech fan and the seemingly endless flow of money that has led to the recent boost they've had in recruiting in both high school and the transfer portal. Reports have come out that Texas Tech spent close to $55 million in NIL for their 2025 roster, and have secured commitments from 2026 five-star offensive lineman Felix Ojo, and 2027 number one overall recruit LaDamion Guyton. CBS national college football writer Shehan Jeyarajah joined me earlier this summer and reported that Ojo is set to make close to $800,000 next year in Lubbock, even as a potential non-starter, and over $2 million in his multi-year deal with the Red Raiders.

There was a slew of other Tech fans in the replies admonishing @MatadorKingdom for his tweeting and potentially rubbing McCarty the wrong way. Meanwhile, four-star Baylor defensive back commit and Waco Devontrae Kirland took the opportunity to try and sway McCarty to join him in Waco. With Baylor's defensive struggles this year, McCarty would be a big boost to the stockpile of talent Dave Aranda is trying to assemble on the defensive front, with current freshman and former four-star Kamauyrn Morgan, and 2026 defensive end commit Jamarion Carlton, one of the highest-rated defensive recruits in program history.

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Josh Crawford
JOSH CRAWFORD

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.

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