The receiving group is more concerning than the running backs, because the Bears desperately wanted to pass last year. They just couldn’t do it.
Why didn’t the passing attack work? Was it the blocking? Did Charlie Brewer fall off? Did the receivers not perform? Was the game planning bad? Was it a combination of all of the above?
Baylor did not have an alpha receiver last year, and hasn’t had one since Denzel Mims left.
Gone: Yusuf Terry, Blake Perdue, Kyle Peterson, Davis Baucum, Adonis McCarty
Jared Atkinson
6th year senior, 6’3”, 215 lbs
Atkinson is taking advantage of the extra COVID year, so this is his sixth year at Baylor. He’s never been an impact player. He has 262 total receiving yards in five years, and his high year is 77 yards. Atkinson won’t start, but you could see him subbing some. He missed part of 2018 with family illness. Atkinson hasn’t broken out yet, so it would be surprising to see him do it this year.
Drew Estrada
Senior, 6’0”, 196
Transfer from Ivy League Dartmouth. Went to high school at Argyle. He was granted a fifth year due to medical hardship, and it’s unclear what his status is on the extra COVID year. He was a top performer in the Ivy League. It remains to be seen if he can contribute at the FBS level.
R. J. Sneed
Senior, 6’1”, 203 lbs
If there was a bright spot for the receivers in 2020, it was Sneed. He averaged over four receptions a game, and had 497 yards. Sneed had a season ending injury in 2017 (didn’t everyone?) and redshirted in 2018. Since then, he’s been a constant on the field, playing in every game in 2019 and starting every game in 2020. Look for him to be the possession receiver. Even though the Bears only played nine games, he had his best year last year.
Gavin Holmes
Junior, 5’11”, 207 lbs
Holmes was off to a promising start in 2017, then had a knee injury that caused him to miss all but one game of the 2018 season. He did not play in 2019, and earned a second injury red shirt. He returned to the field in 2020, starting every game. Although he only had 244 yards, he did have over three catches a game.
Josh Fleeks
Senior, 5’11”, 192
Fleeks has not used a red shirt during his career, and has played in all but three games during his time at Baylor. He’s never cracked the starting line up. His high season was 2019, when he had 262 yards.
Tyquan Thornton
Senior, 6’3”, 182
Thornton came out of high school as a four star, and has not taken a red shirt. He appeared in every game during his first two years, He went from 354 yards his freshman year to 782 yards in his sophomore year. In 2020, he got injured and missed three games. His yards per catch dropped from 17+ in his first two years to 9.9 last year. When Mims left, it looked like Thornton was going to take over. Assuming he’s healthy, he could resume the trajectory he had going for him the first two years.
Jackson Gleeson
Junior, 6’0”, 185 lbs
Gleeson was a three star out of Mansfield. He’s been invisible. He redshirted in 2018, played some on special teams in 2019, and didn’t play at all in 2020.
Tripp Mitchell
Sophomore, 6’1”, 195 lbs
Squad player out of Oaks Christian in California.
Kolby White
Sophomore, 5’8”, 175 lbs
Squad player out of Ft. Bend-Elkins. Since he and Qualan Jones, another offensive player, share the same number, 13, it doesn’t seem Baylor thinks there are a lot of instances where they’ll be on the field at the same time.
Jaylen Ellis
Sophomore, 6’0”, 194 lbs
Ellis is out of Round Rock Cedar Ridge. He redshirted his freshman year, and got his first reception against Oklahoma. This is a guy to watch. He’s got the talent.
Seth Jones
Redshirt Freshman, 5’11”, 190 lbs
Jones is a two star out of Shadow Creek. Look for him when you see him.
Jonathan Davidson
Redshirt Freshman, 6’1”, 210 lbs
Went to Fulshear High School.
Javon Gipson
Freshman, 6’1”, 182 lbs
Gipson is a 5.5 three star out of Rosenberg George Ranch High School and an early enrollee. He also got offers from Iowa State, Kansas, Northwestern and Houston. He committed in January of 2020 after one campus visit, and never wavered. He also ran track.
Elijah Bean
Freshman, 6’5”, 192 lbs
With offers from seven P5s and several of the higher rated G5s, the 5.5 three star from Houston Summer Creek committed to the Bears in May of 2020. His length and physicality are his main strengths, but he did participate in track as a sprinter.
Monaray Baldwin
Freshman, 5’10”, 170 lbs
Coming out of Killeen Shoemaker, Baldwin, a 5.3 two star only had one P5 offer, Baylor. He has a laser timed 4.49 forty yard dash, which is just 1/100th of a second slower than the average NFL wide receiver time. As a former Baylor coach said, “You can’t coach speed.” He’s also good at slipping tackles. It’s not clear why he’s flown under the radar.
Summary
Baylor’s not wide receiver university any more. Matt Rhule did a lot of good things for Baylor, but his recruiting was always worrisome. It’s caught up with them at this position.
Somebody has to step up. Actually, several people have to step up.
Last year, Baylor’s top receiver, Sneed, had less than 500 yards. Thornton, the “alpha in waiting,” missed three games and only had 158 yards for the season.
Other than that, no other upper classman had more than a hint of being able to carry part of the load. Recruiting in 2019 and 2020 was disastrous, with only one three star from those two years combined still on the team.
The upper classmen have not performed to expectations, and the freshmen and sophomores aren’t ready.
For the Baylor passing attack to return to respectability, several things have to happen.
First, one of the quarterbacks needs to take the reins, and develop a chemistry with several of the receivers. Second, Thornton and Sneed have to achieve their potentials. Third, one of the other receivers has to become a viable option. Fourth, the offensive line has to jell enough to allow some long balls. Fifth, they’re going to have to get the tight ends and running backs involved in the passing game. There’s better talent at those positions.
The passing attack should be better this year, almost by default, because last year was rock bottom, but this is a multi year fix.
Why didn’t the passing attack work? Was it the blocking? Did Charlie Brewer fall off? Did the receivers not perform? Was the game planning bad? Was it a combination of all of the above?
Baylor did not have an alpha receiver last year, and hasn’t had one since Denzel Mims left.
Gone: Yusuf Terry, Blake Perdue, Kyle Peterson, Davis Baucum, Adonis McCarty
Jared Atkinson
6th year senior, 6’3”, 215 lbs
Atkinson is taking advantage of the extra COVID year, so this is his sixth year at Baylor. He’s never been an impact player. He has 262 total receiving yards in five years, and his high year is 77 yards. Atkinson won’t start, but you could see him subbing some. He missed part of 2018 with family illness. Atkinson hasn’t broken out yet, so it would be surprising to see him do it this year.
Drew Estrada
Senior, 6’0”, 196
Transfer from Ivy League Dartmouth. Went to high school at Argyle. He was granted a fifth year due to medical hardship, and it’s unclear what his status is on the extra COVID year. He was a top performer in the Ivy League. It remains to be seen if he can contribute at the FBS level.
R. J. Sneed
Senior, 6’1”, 203 lbs
If there was a bright spot for the receivers in 2020, it was Sneed. He averaged over four receptions a game, and had 497 yards. Sneed had a season ending injury in 2017 (didn’t everyone?) and redshirted in 2018. Since then, he’s been a constant on the field, playing in every game in 2019 and starting every game in 2020. Look for him to be the possession receiver. Even though the Bears only played nine games, he had his best year last year.
Gavin Holmes
Junior, 5’11”, 207 lbs
Holmes was off to a promising start in 2017, then had a knee injury that caused him to miss all but one game of the 2018 season. He did not play in 2019, and earned a second injury red shirt. He returned to the field in 2020, starting every game. Although he only had 244 yards, he did have over three catches a game.
Josh Fleeks
Senior, 5’11”, 192
Fleeks has not used a red shirt during his career, and has played in all but three games during his time at Baylor. He’s never cracked the starting line up. His high season was 2019, when he had 262 yards.
Tyquan Thornton
Senior, 6’3”, 182
Thornton came out of high school as a four star, and has not taken a red shirt. He appeared in every game during his first two years, He went from 354 yards his freshman year to 782 yards in his sophomore year. In 2020, he got injured and missed three games. His yards per catch dropped from 17+ in his first two years to 9.9 last year. When Mims left, it looked like Thornton was going to take over. Assuming he’s healthy, he could resume the trajectory he had going for him the first two years.
Jackson Gleeson
Junior, 6’0”, 185 lbs
Gleeson was a three star out of Mansfield. He’s been invisible. He redshirted in 2018, played some on special teams in 2019, and didn’t play at all in 2020.
Tripp Mitchell
Sophomore, 6’1”, 195 lbs
Squad player out of Oaks Christian in California.
Kolby White
Sophomore, 5’8”, 175 lbs
Squad player out of Ft. Bend-Elkins. Since he and Qualan Jones, another offensive player, share the same number, 13, it doesn’t seem Baylor thinks there are a lot of instances where they’ll be on the field at the same time.
Jaylen Ellis
Sophomore, 6’0”, 194 lbs
Ellis is out of Round Rock Cedar Ridge. He redshirted his freshman year, and got his first reception against Oklahoma. This is a guy to watch. He’s got the talent.
Seth Jones
Redshirt Freshman, 5’11”, 190 lbs
Jones is a two star out of Shadow Creek. Look for him when you see him.
Jonathan Davidson
Redshirt Freshman, 6’1”, 210 lbs
Went to Fulshear High School.
Javon Gipson
Freshman, 6’1”, 182 lbs
Gipson is a 5.5 three star out of Rosenberg George Ranch High School and an early enrollee. He also got offers from Iowa State, Kansas, Northwestern and Houston. He committed in January of 2020 after one campus visit, and never wavered. He also ran track.
Elijah Bean
Freshman, 6’5”, 192 lbs
With offers from seven P5s and several of the higher rated G5s, the 5.5 three star from Houston Summer Creek committed to the Bears in May of 2020. His length and physicality are his main strengths, but he did participate in track as a sprinter.
Monaray Baldwin
Freshman, 5’10”, 170 lbs
Coming out of Killeen Shoemaker, Baldwin, a 5.3 two star only had one P5 offer, Baylor. He has a laser timed 4.49 forty yard dash, which is just 1/100th of a second slower than the average NFL wide receiver time. As a former Baylor coach said, “You can’t coach speed.” He’s also good at slipping tackles. It’s not clear why he’s flown under the radar.
Summary
Baylor’s not wide receiver university any more. Matt Rhule did a lot of good things for Baylor, but his recruiting was always worrisome. It’s caught up with them at this position.
Somebody has to step up. Actually, several people have to step up.
Last year, Baylor’s top receiver, Sneed, had less than 500 yards. Thornton, the “alpha in waiting,” missed three games and only had 158 yards for the season.
Other than that, no other upper classman had more than a hint of being able to carry part of the load. Recruiting in 2019 and 2020 was disastrous, with only one three star from those two years combined still on the team.
The upper classmen have not performed to expectations, and the freshmen and sophomores aren’t ready.
For the Baylor passing attack to return to respectability, several things have to happen.
First, one of the quarterbacks needs to take the reins, and develop a chemistry with several of the receivers. Second, Thornton and Sneed have to achieve their potentials. Third, one of the other receivers has to become a viable option. Fourth, the offensive line has to jell enough to allow some long balls. Fifth, they’re going to have to get the tight ends and running backs involved in the passing game. There’s better talent at those positions.
The passing attack should be better this year, almost by default, because last year was rock bottom, but this is a multi year fix.
