Baylor soars past Oklahoma, Texas Tech toward a top-25 2026 recruiting class
As On3's national analyst JD Pickell recently said: "Baylor is recruiting like a progrum!" -- the Bears are soaring.
In back-to-back days, Baylor scored two top players in the 2026 cycle, while beating out some powerhouse teams. It got started on Thursday when defensive lineman Jamarion Carlton pledged to Baylor over LSU, Texas, and Texas Tech. Cartlon is the No. 39 player in the 2026 cycle, and the No. 4 defensive lineman, per the Composite.
But it didn't stop there.
On Friday, 6-foot-3 WR Jordan Clay picked Baylor over both Oklahoma and Colorado. The San Antonio native is ranked as the No. 11 prospect in the cycle, and the No. 15-ranked WR, per the Composite. Both were big lands for Dave Aranda's team, and it signals that Baylor can still recruit with the big boys.
Following the commitments of Carlton and Clay, Baylor soared up the recruiting ranks. The Bears entered Friday with the No. 39-ranked team, but after adding Clay, Baylor is now on the cusp of being a top-25 team.
Baylor soared past teams like Oklahoma, Michigan State, and Texas Tech, and is now ranked as the No. 26-best class in the 2026 team rankings. Looking at just the Big 12, Baylor is now the second-ranked school in the conference with 215.23 points. BYU remains in first with 218.95 points.
The Bears aren't certainly done recruiting in the '26 cycle, and Baylor has a real chance to see its name at the top of the list before it's all said and done.
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Trent is the Publisher of Baylor Bears on SI and also serves as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines on SI. His work has additionally been featured on Maryland on SI, Wisconsin on SI, and across the USA TODAY Sports network. Trent’s love of sports and being able to tell stories to fans is what made him get into writing.