Top-end talents run college football (and alwasy has). For Baylor football looking to return to its former glory, fans will want to identify Baylor players who have the ability to earn All-Big 12 recognition, while a smaller group could enter the All-America conversation with productive seasons.
Baylor 's leading candidates include an established national standout, a former five-star quarterback and two experienced defensive transfers.
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For starters, punter Palmer Williams is Baylor's clearest All-America candidate entering the season.
Williams averaged a Big 12-leading 46.92 yards per punt in 2025 and helped Baylor lead the country with a 45.0-yard net punting average. Only 12 of his 27 punts were returned, producing a combined 32 return yards. Eleven traveled at least 50 yards, while another 11 landed inside the opponent's 20-yard line.
That performance earned Williams Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year honors and made him a finalist for the Ray Guy Award, presented annually to the nation's top punter. After earning All-America recognition from multiple outlets last season, Williams enters 2026 as a first-team Walter Camp and second-team AP preseason All-American.
If Williams remains near his career average of 46.55 yards per punt, he should contend for first-team All-America honors and the Ray Guy Award.
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It's obvious that former five-star DJ Lagway carries Baylor's highest overall ceiling personally and for the ceiling of Baylor's season.
The Lone Star State native transferred from Florida after passing for 4,179 yards and 28 touchdowns across two seasons. Lagway completed 63.2% of his passes for 2,264 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2025, but also threw an SEC-high 14 interceptions .
Reducing those turnovers will determine whether Lagway becomes merely a productive Big 12 starter or one of the country's most prominent quarterbacks.
Jake Spavital's offense offers Lagway an opportunity to create a statistical breakthrough. Sawyer Robertson threw for 3,681 yards and 31 touchdowns in the same system last season. Lagway adds greater mobility and one of the strongest arms in college football.
A season featuring approximately 3,500 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and single-digit interceptions could place Lagway in the All-Big 12 and national award conversations, particularly if Baylor wins eight or more games.
Lastly, linebacker Travion Barnes represents Baylor's best defensive candidate and a shot at redemption after a heart-wrenching start to his Power Four football career.
Barnes was named the 2024 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year at FIU after recording 129 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and three interceptions. His first Baylor season ended after four games because of an injury, but he returns as the projected starting middle linebacker and a member of the Bednarik Award watch list.
Barnes should receive abundant opportunities in Dave Aranda's defense. If he approaches 100 tackles while producing sacks and takeaways, he could emerge as one of the Big 12's most productive linebackers.
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As a late addition to a defensive unit that was porous last year, national champion and defensive lineman Hosea Wheeler also brings an established rsum to potentially earn All-American status in Waco.
Wheeler earned first-team All-Conference USA recognition at Western Kentucky before contributing to Indiana 's national championship team. He registered 31 tackles, four tackles for loss, 11 quarterback pressures and two fumble recoveries in 2025.
His impact may not always appear through sack totals, but Wheeler's power and run defense could transform a Baylor unit that surrendered 197.2 rushing yards per game last season.
Safety Jacob Redding, running back Dawson Pendergrass and receivers Dre'lon Miller and Louis Brown IV also possess All-Big 12 potential. However, Williams, Lagway, Barnes and Wheeler give Baylor its strongest collection of legitimate All-America candidates entering 2026
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/baylor as 4 Baylor Football Players who Could be All-Americans in 2026 .
