Baylor Bears: True Freshmen To Watch in 2020

Every February (and now December) college football teams sign a new class of football players to join their program. It’s exciting to dream about what a prospect can become in the future but come September, some of those freshman will redshirt and wait for their opportunity to shine, while a few will be given the chance to make an immediate impact this season. In this series we will take a team by team look at the true freshman who could be given the opportunity to make a name for themselves in 2020. Today we will look at a few Baylor Bears true freshmen to watch in 2020.

James Sylvester – DE

The Baylor defensive line will need to be completely revamped in 2020. The Bears lost all three starters on the defensive line from a year ago. If that wasn’t enough uncertainty new coach Dave Aranda will be in his first year with the team and looking for players to prove themselves in 2020. TJ Franklin is in the pole position to be the starter at defensive end as he was James Lynch’s primary backup a year ago, beyond that the road to playing time at defensive end is wide open. Baylor lost a lot of talent on the defensive line and pass rushers are needed in Waco in 2020. Sylvester enrolled early and fits the bill as a pass rusher, he will have the opportunity to impress the coaches and make an immediate impact in 2020.

James Sylvester was big time player at Newton High School in Texas. Sylvester has good size and excellent length at the defensive end position. He couples his length with good short area quickness and closing speed. He is raw as a pass rusher and needs to work on his technique but has the physical tools to be a quality pass rusher in college. As he matures and grows into his frame Sylvester will get better at the point of attack against the run. At the very least we expect Sylvester to get playing time in pass rush situations and to provide depth in 2020. If he has gotten stronger and can hold up against the run Sylvester will play an even bigger role in 2020.

Taye McWilliams – RB

Baylor returns John Lovett (#17 RB in our rankings) and he was the most productive of the Bears running backs in 2019. JaMycal Hasty split carries with Lovett almost evenly but will not be back in 2020. The next running back from a productivity standpoint in 2019 was Trestan Ebner, he should pick up some of the slack but there will be a need for young running backs to step up and provide depth. The Bears have options in Qualon Jones and Craig Williams but neither has had significant playing time in their career yet. McWilliams enrolled early and despite the shortened spring, was still able to participate in winter conditioning with the team. He will have a chance to get some carries as depth player early in the year but has the talent to impress and parlay that into more playing time.

Taye McWilliams was a standout at Lamar Consolidated High School in Texas. McWilliams has good size at the position and can run through tackles. He also has the breakaway speed you would expect from a smaller running back. McWilliams has good feet and balance, he does a good job of keeping his feet through contact and getting into the open field. Once in the open field, it’s a footrace to the endzone, one that McWilliams is likely to win. He is a good one cut runner who finds his hole and explodes through it getting up field in a hurry. He has big play potential along with the frame and size to pound the defense. He may be used as a reserve in 2020 but we expect McWilliams to see playing time and make an impact as a true freshman.

Lorando Johnson – CB

Baylor lost 3 starting safeties and a starting cornerback from the 2019 team. The only returning starter is Raleigh Texada who will have to provide experience and leadership. There is talent available at corner in speedster Kalon Barnes, up and comer Mark Milton and youngster Byron Hanspard Jr, but depth will be needed in 2020. In addition to the need for corners to emerge the safety position also in needs new starters and more depth. Johnson was a late addition to the Baylor 2020 recruiting class, he had signed with LSU but never enrolled and now appears to have followed Dave Aranda and enrolled at Baylor. There will be an opportunity for young players to get their feet wet in the secondary and impress the coaching staff. Johnson has the versatility and the talent to capitalize on this opportunity and should earn playing time in 2020.

Lorando Johnson starred at Lancaster High School in Texas. He has good size and the frame to play all over the secondary. Johnson played mostly cornerback in high school but has versatility and could provide good depth across the board. Johnson is a physical player who can play press man coverage and redirect receivers at the line of scrimmage. He has the hip flexibility and footwork to stick at cornerback and cover receivers man to man. Johnson displays good football instincts when in coverage and will convert his share of turnovers. He is not afraid to hit and will deliver a big hit and make his presence felt. Johnson has the size and skill to play all over the secondary making him a valuable depth option as a young player, increasing his chances of playing early. We expect to see Johnson on the field this fall and with all of the open starting spots in the secondary he could become a major contributor early.

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McLane Stadium at Baylor University – Waco, Texas image taken by Tony Webster is licensed under CC BY 2.0.