By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
With Baylor adding so many new pieces to the 2023 football roster through the NCAA transfer portal, SicEmSports provides a daily series of breaking down each of these new members and how they fit into the program moving forward.
Isaiah Dunson
Pos.: DB
School: Miami (FL)
Ht./Wt.: 6-1, 186
Remaining Eligibility: 2 years (2020 was a COVID/free year)
What he brings: For starters, Dunson is a tall corner with a pretty good wingspan. That’s exactly what the Baylor coaches searched for in the portal because everybody needs a tall back line of defense. While Dunson’s playing time was limited to just 41 snaps in 2022 (mostly in mop up duty), he brings an upside with him. Dunson was a consensus 4-star recruit among all the national recruiting services. Rivals rated him the No. 32 DB in the nation for the 2020 class.
What are the concerns: With any portal candidate with limited production, there’s always going to be the question of why he didn’t break through at a program like Miami or at least get into the DB rotation. Maybe he just didn’t mesh with new head coach Mario Cristobal and his defensive staff in 2022. Sometimes, that just happens. For the limited time he played in his first three seasons, he only has one PBU. But the context to that could mean anything. For his career he has 14 total tackles including nine solos.
How he helps the room: Baylor’s secondary is in a position where it needs help – it really could use a second portal DB for 2023 – and Dunson’s experience playing at the P5 level makes a difference. He’s been through the wars. Dunson understands the speed of the P5 game and has faced some pretty good offenses over the years regardless of when he entered a game. Considering how much Baylor’s secondary struggled in 2022 coupled with the portal losses of Snaxx Johnson and Al Walcott, who both went to Arkansas, followed by the graduation of Mark Milton this arrival is a godsend.
2023 Expectations: With any portal addition, that player and new program’s expectations are that he will either start or at a minimum be in the rotation. Dunson needs to demonstrate he’s ready to be a starter and can be a key component to the back line of the defense. Baylor is really thin at corner. The only experienced DBs are AJ McCarty and Tevin Williams. Williams made his first start in the Armed Forces Bowl. Romario Noel got some snaps. And while the Bears signed five defensive backs to the 2023 class – LeVar Thornton, Jr. is listed an athlete, but he signed as a DB – it’s really up in the air as to whether they will have any kind of impact for 2023. To Baylor’s credit, both Caden Jenkins and Carl Williams IV are January arrivals.
Publisher
With Baylor adding so many new pieces to the 2023 football roster through the NCAA transfer portal, SicEmSports provides a daily series of breaking down each of these new members and how they fit into the program moving forward.
Isaiah Dunson
Pos.: DB
School: Miami (FL)
Ht./Wt.: 6-1, 186
Remaining Eligibility: 2 years (2020 was a COVID/free year)
What he brings: For starters, Dunson is a tall corner with a pretty good wingspan. That’s exactly what the Baylor coaches searched for in the portal because everybody needs a tall back line of defense. While Dunson’s playing time was limited to just 41 snaps in 2022 (mostly in mop up duty), he brings an upside with him. Dunson was a consensus 4-star recruit among all the national recruiting services. Rivals rated him the No. 32 DB in the nation for the 2020 class.
What are the concerns: With any portal candidate with limited production, there’s always going to be the question of why he didn’t break through at a program like Miami or at least get into the DB rotation. Maybe he just didn’t mesh with new head coach Mario Cristobal and his defensive staff in 2022. Sometimes, that just happens. For the limited time he played in his first three seasons, he only has one PBU. But the context to that could mean anything. For his career he has 14 total tackles including nine solos.
How he helps the room: Baylor’s secondary is in a position where it needs help – it really could use a second portal DB for 2023 – and Dunson’s experience playing at the P5 level makes a difference. He’s been through the wars. Dunson understands the speed of the P5 game and has faced some pretty good offenses over the years regardless of when he entered a game. Considering how much Baylor’s secondary struggled in 2022 coupled with the portal losses of Snaxx Johnson and Al Walcott, who both went to Arkansas, followed by the graduation of Mark Milton this arrival is a godsend.
2023 Expectations: With any portal addition, that player and new program’s expectations are that he will either start or at a minimum be in the rotation. Dunson needs to demonstrate he’s ready to be a starter and can be a key component to the back line of the defense. Baylor is really thin at corner. The only experienced DBs are AJ McCarty and Tevin Williams. Williams made his first start in the Armed Forces Bowl. Romario Noel got some snaps. And while the Bears signed five defensive backs to the 2023 class – LeVar Thornton, Jr. is listed an athlete, but he signed as a DB – it’s really up in the air as to whether they will have any kind of impact for 2023. To Baylor’s credit, both Caden Jenkins and Carl Williams IV are January arrivals.
