Baylor football: Top 3 Bears prospects for 2021 NFL Draft
By John Scimeca
Baylor football’s All-Big 12 linebacker
Terrel Bernard’s huge presence as outside linebacker of the Bears defense was an important reason for Baylor’s 2019 breakthrough of 11 wins.
As a unit, the Bears forced the most interceptions (17) of any Big 12 team and finished tied for fifth-best mark in the nation, as well. Baylor also held four Big 12 opponents to 14 points or fewer en route to finishing as the conference’s runner-up to CFP semifinalist Oklahoma.
Bernard, who will be a junior in 2020, finished his sophomore season with a team-leading 112 tackles and added 4.5 sacks, three fumble recoveries, and one interception.
Bernard’s big-game playmaking stood out, too. In the late-season triple-overtime win against TCU, he set a career record with 19 tackles, the most by a Baylor defender since 2011. He also had 12 tackles and a crucial fumble recovery against Oklahoma in the 2019 Big 12 title game.
For a now Dave Aranda-led defense that saw three of its players drafted in this year’s NFL Draft, Bernard will have to step up to continue the Bears’ success in 2020. If he continues to showcase his speed and big-game playmaking, NFL scouts will come calling.