Baylor Football: Bears’ 2018 class still great without Tommy Bush
Few programs have a more well-rounded 2018 recruiting class with offensive talent than Baylor football, despite Tommy Bush going with UGA.
Baylor Football had a target in mind to buff up the receiving corps in the incoming freshmen class for 2018. That prospect is four-star wide receiver, from Samuel Clemens High School in Texas, Tommy Bush. Its the final chance for the Bears to add something very significant for National Signing Day 2018.
Even without the commitment of Bush, Baylor still has a top four class in the Big 12, and top 30 in the nation. Considering Baylor finished with a 1-11 record in 2017, that’s a tremendous accomplishment for head coach Matt Rhule.
On either side of the ball, Baylor does not have to worry about inexperience across the board. They have 17 total starters returning in 2018. Nine of those are on offense, and eight come on defense. There’s not too many holes to plug for the Bears at this moment.
Developing this class that stands at 23 commits right now is the main priority for the Bears as they look to rebuild the program. Four-star wide receivers like Tyquan Thornton and and Joshua Fleeks are players to build around for the next four years.
The addition of Bush would have just be an embarrassment or riches in Waco. It would have been Baylor’s third four-star receiver in this class. The Georgia Bulldogs do pick up a huge commit in Bush, possibly locking them up as the No. 1 class in the nation.
The make-up of Baylor’s 2018 class
Of the 23 commits for the Bears right now, six are four-star prospects. Another important aspect of this class is that Baylor has six of their commits enrolled early, including Thornton and four-star dual-threat quarterback Gerry Bohanon. That’ll help further the development of a few players that can get some playing time for Baylor in 2018.
Every four-star commit for Baylor, outside of possibly DeSoto, Texas, athlete B.J. Hanspard, plays on the offensive side of the ball. Rhule’s plan to build into the future is clear, with building up the offense around Bohanon in the future and rising sophomore quarterback Charlie Brewer now.
However, just because Rhule has an emphasis on offensive talent in the 2018 class, he has a proven track record of success of developing defense during his tenure with the Temple Owls. Underrated prospects like three-star defensive tackle Joshua Landry and three-star safety Christian Morgan are two players that Baylor kept in-state.
Impact on the team in the coming years
This class is ahead of schedule for Rhule during Baylor’s rebuild. It signifies a bright future ahead for the Bears, improving quickly in the Big 12. Baylor already has pieces in place like Brewer under center and rising junior wide receiver Denzel Mims to carry the offense.
A class like this can also build momentum for the 2019 class, as coaches start to evaluate that cycle of prospects in the coming months. The Bears do already have two underrated prospects committed in the 2019 class, and more could come soon.
Next: Top 5 remaining NSD targets for Baylor Football
Even with the pure amount of returning talent that Baylor has for the 2018 campaign, it never hurts to add a highly-touted recruiting class. Baylor could finish in the top three classes in the Big 12, and top 25 in the nation with a solid cap on NSD. Adding another underrated prospect or two only helps build this program for the next four years.