Baylor continues big month of commitments as Dave Aranda equates recruiting success to NIL

Baylor last signed a top-30 recruiting class in the 2018 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.

Since head coach Dave Aranda was hired ahead of the 2020 season, the Bears have signed the No. 33 class in the nation twice, but are yet to land a high school haul that reaches that next level. Things went particularly low last cycle, as the Big 12 program finished with the No. 62 class, good for next to last in-conference.

The 2025 class is seeing a positive change, however. After landing a commitment from North Richland Hills (Texas) Richland four-star running back Michael Turner on Thursday, the Bears jumped 10 spots in the recruiting rankings and now have the No. 31 class in the nation.

Turner, On3’s No. 5 RB in the nation, is the fourth blue-chip prospect to commit to Baylor this month. Red Oak (Texas) South Oak Cliff four-star EDGE Kamauryn Morgan, Red Oak four-star wide receiver Taz Williams Jr. and Pearland (Texas) Shadow Creek four-star WR Jacorey Watson have all done the same since July 2.

Morgan chose the Bears over the likes of Texas A&M and SMU, while Williams spurned the likes of Michigan and Penn State to stay in Texas. Turner was considered a heavy SMU lean earlier this year, but Aranda and Co. quickly swiped momentum ahead of his decision.

Four major in-state recruiting wins have now built a formidable base for Baylor’s class in the span of a few weeks. While the Bears won’t be competing for one of the very top pledge lists in the nation, there’s signs of improvement on the trail for the BU staff.

Aranda correlates Baylor’s recruiting success to NIL

When speaking at Big 12 Media Days in Las Vegas last week, Aranda was asked about Baylor’s recent recruiting success. He didn’t mince words, pointing toward NIL as the primary reason.

“We’re paying players,” Aranda said on 365 Sports with Craig Smoak.

On3’s Pete Nakos dove in on the state of NIL at Baylor and where things currently stand:

“Baylor was initially slow to enter the NIL collective space, as one of the few Power 4 markets that went through Year One of NIL without a dedicated collective. The Bears now have GXG, which serves as a non-profit organization that partners with donors to provide NIL options to Baylor athletes. GXG Elite was rolled out in February as an NIL membership program for Baylor fans and donors. The program offers a range of exclusive benefits, including access to special events, behind-the-scenes content and unique merchandise and memorabilia.

In October 2022, the initiative executed a team-wide NIL deal with Baylor football players. While the full details of the contract were not disclosed to On3, sources said the total amount of cash given to the athletes was in the seven-figure range.”

If this month is any indication, top recruits in and around Texas are giving the Bears a good look and are listening to what they have to say. Keeping momentum in the world of recruiting is a tall task, but Aranda and his staff are certainly putting a solid foot forward this summer.