Florida, Notre Dame Join Baylor Football in Contention to Land Explosive 4-Star RB

The Baylor Bears might be known for throwing the football, but Baylor has had more than capable running backs for quite some time. Most recently, guys like Dawson Pendergrass and Bryson Washington have carried the load. Then there are the young bucks of Caden Knighten and Michael Turner.

In Jake Spavital's offense, you need to have a few running backs to rely on and the Bears are hoping they can secure four-star RB Lathan Whisenton in the 2027 class.

After a great camp today, I’m Blessed to receive a offer today from Baylor University. @BUFootball @CoachDaveAranda @Coach_Steward @CoachBJ_Kelly @MidwayFB pic.twitter.com/tbE5GJlZZv
— 4⭐️ Lathan Whisenton (@LathanWhisento) June 24, 2023

The Waco (TX) prospect has been high on Baylor, but as his recruitment has unfolded, there are some heavyweights getting involved. Most recently, Whisenton has scheduled spring visits to both Notre Dame and Florida, per Rivals.

Loaded official visit slate

Whisenton is ranked as the No. 298 prospect in the nation and the No. 22 RB, per the Composite. The 41st-ranked prospect out of Texas is a hot commodity and he has a loaded slate coming up.

The 2027 prospect has plans to visit SMU on May 1, Baylor on June 5, Texas on June 12, and Texas Tech on June 19.

The explosive back believes in all of the schools and told Rivals they are all 'contenders' in his recruitment. Now it's just taking these visits and figuring out which is the best for him.

According to Rivals' Recruiting Prediction Machine, Texas holds the lead with a 31.3% chance of landing him. Baylor is right on the Longhorns' tail with a 13.9% chance.

Following his OV visits, Whisenton will have taken six visits to Austin to see Texas and four to Waco to see the Bears.

What Whisenton likes about Baylor

In 2025, Whisenton finished his 11-game junior season with 1,502 yards and 24 TDs on 9.1 yards per carry, while catching 10 passes for 102 yards. Of course, Baylor would love to add him to its class.

Speaking to Rivals, Whistenton noted how much of a presence Khenon Hall has in his recruitment and how much love Baylor has shown him.

Had a great lunch with @CoachK_Hall and my family.@BUFootball pic.twitter.com/mITGg1grgA
— 4⭐️ Lathan Whisenton (@LathanWhisento) January 27, 2026

"Baylor has shown me a lot of love since they offered me in the eighth grade. Coach [Dave] Aranda, Coach Hall, and [GM] Aaron Hunt have been like family throughout the recruiting process. It would be an exciting opportunity to play in front of family and friends I grew up with."

But in order to land a player like Whistenton, Baylor has to prove it can win on the field. A 5-7 season won't cut it in this landscape of football, and even after bringing in 5-star talent DJ Lagway, the Bears need to contend to recruit at a higher level.