Baylor Football: Top 5 spring 2019 breakout candidates

Baylor football had an impressive turnaround in 2018 but these breakout candidates for the Bears can ensure even more wins in 2019.

Matt Rhule’s first season with Baylor football didn’t go quite as expected. He won just a single game with the Bears and he was listening to offers from other programs and even the NFL, but he decided to stay in Waco in order to finish what he set out to do.

The Bears turned things around quickly, going from 1-11 to 7-6 with a bowl berth. Rhule had done a heck of a job and has even started to get his players in place.

If the turnaround continues to advance drastically, the Bears could be a 10-win team in the next year or two. Heck, it could even happen this season, but which Bears could break out this spring to set up huge 2019 campaigns?

Coming in as a highly-touted receiver in Matt Rhule’s first official recruiting class, Kalon Barnes made a switch early on. In order to see the field right away, the staff felt he’d be better served to play in the defensive backfield than the receiving corps.

Barnes saw some action at cornerback as a freshman, recording 10 tackles with a pass deflection but he could start in 2019. The sophomore could help replace a corner like Derrek Thomas and take over at cornerback, putting to rest any hope for a return at receiver.

Sure, he has the talent to play both ways, but he almost looks like a natural cornerback and he should remain there as long as he can see the field as a starter.

The second-year talent might be lost in the shuffle at receiver, so cornerback is the right fit, especially with how well he played in a limited role last year. Expect big things in 2019, starting this spring.