KEEPING THEM HOME
12/3/2025 11:45:00 PM | Football
Bears land receivers London Smith and Davion Peters from 254 area code
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
WACO, Texas – With a goal of "keeping the 254 in the 254," Baylor head coach Dave Aranda announced a 2026 signing class on Wednesday that included wide receivers London Smith from Waco University High School and Davion Peters from just down the road in Temple.
"I think it's important to do," said Aranda, who landed four four-star recruits and eight prospects from Texas in a 12-player class. "You want kids that are from here who want to come and play here, in front of their families, in front of their people. And you want them proud about representing. We just have to make sure we're winning on the field to reinforce that."
A legacy recruit whose dad and mom were standout athletes at Baylor, London Smith (6-0, 200) spurned offers from Texas, Texas A&M, Alabama, Georgia, Nebraska, Penn State and Oregon, among others, to stay with the hometown Bears.
Smith, a four-year starter who finished his career with 201 catches for 3,557 yards and 42 touchdowns, said Aranda, wide receivers coach Dallas Baker and recruiting coordinator Khenon Hall "stayed solid to me since my freshman year (2022), so I'm going to stay solid to them, for sure."
From a film session with the media on Wednesday, Aranda said the 6-foot, 200-pound Smith is a leader, a "dawg" and a competitor.
"When you watch film, it speaks out," Aranda said, "because London is a dude that if he's one-on-one, throw me the ball. If it's, I've got to make a play, get it to me. Or, who's the best guy over there? I want to go against him. That's London, and his film shows all of that."
A standout for University High School on the basketball court as well, Smith said he would "use the exact same words" as Aranda. "I'm a dawg, man. I want the best competition, and I hope the best competition wants me."
London's dad, Rodney Smith, was a three-year starter at safety for Baylor football and also played for the basketball team in 1996. His mother, Stacey Bowers Smith, was a national champion in the triple jump and is in her 24th year on the Baylor track and field coaching staff.
"He loves Baylor, he wants to be here, he wants to win, and he wants to flip it," Aranda said of London.
With the Bears losing the bulk of its receiving corps – Josh Cameron, Ashtyn Hawkins, Kole Wilson, Kobe Prentice and tight end Michael Trigg – Smith and Peters (5-10, 165) will get chances to prove themselves as early as this spring.
"I think you give them opportunities, and you coach them," Aranda said. "You find out where they're at, and you meet them where they're at. You give them the tools and the coaching to take that next step. If it's got to be slowed down, you slow it down. If it can be sped up, then let's speed up. But give them every opportunity to make an impact, because their success is our success."
A consensus three-star recruit and top-100 prospect in the state, Peters had 95 receptions for 1,455 yards and 15 touchdowns over the past two seasons at Temple's Lake Belton High School, adding 705 yards and another 11 scores on the ground. He held offers from Arkansas, Michigan, Nebraska, Ole Miss, TCU, Texas Tech and Wisconsin.
"They were one of my first offers, and the coaches, they are really, really close with us, the relationships they make," said Peters, who has also excelled on the track. "It's not just about football. They make sure education's first, and they're very godly people. They've always checked on me to make sure I'm doing great, not only the field but off the field, too. That's just really what brought me home to them."
Aranda compares Peters to former Baylor receiver Monaray Baldwin in his "ability to make plays after the catch."
"Whether it's a bubble screen or quick passes, he's someone that can take a three-yard thing and make it be a 73-yard thing," Aranda said. "His speed is really good, but he can make contested catches, too. . . . I think he's really dynamic in space, and we can really maximize him with some of the screens and three-step game and even some of the (run-pass options). His speed, agility and start and stop are really, really good."
The other four-star recruits in the class are defensive lineman Jae'Lin Battle from Oklahoma City, running back Ryelan Morris from Honey Grove, Texas, and offensive lineman Donel Robinson Jr. from Durant, Miss. A "home-run hitter," Morris picked the Bears over offers from Miami (Fla.), Missouri, USC, Oklahoma and Oregon, among others.
"He's a mismatch guy," Aranda said of Morris. "Out of the backfield, he's a threat. Special teams-wise, he's a threat. Anytime you can give a guy the ball, and three yards can go to 80 yards, there's a positive. And we've got that with him."
On the offensive side, Baylor added tight ends Parker Almanza from Trophy Club, Texas, and Kai Wesley from Orem, Utah, and quarterback Quinn Murphy from Argyle, Texas. Joining Battle on the defensive side are safety Jordan Davis from Prosper, linebackers Tyrone Morgan from Baton Rouge, La., and Jamarion Phillips from Dallas South Oak Cliff and cornerback Jamarion Richardson from Texarkana.
"What they bring is an energy, an exuberance, a want to get after it, and an excitement," Aranda said of the 12-player class. "And they bring playmaking ability. There are certain guys, particularly the (skill position players), that are going to get opportunities to play right away."
Baylor football will open the 2026 season with a neutral-site matchup against Auburn in the Aflac Kickoff Game on Sept. 5 at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Baylor Bear Insider
WACO, Texas – With a goal of "keeping the 254 in the 254," Baylor head coach Dave Aranda announced a 2026 signing class on Wednesday that included wide receivers London Smith from Waco University High School and Davion Peters from just down the road in Temple.
"I think it's important to do," said Aranda, who landed four four-star recruits and eight prospects from Texas in a 12-player class. "You want kids that are from here who want to come and play here, in front of their families, in front of their people. And you want them proud about representing. We just have to make sure we're winning on the field to reinforce that."
A legacy recruit whose dad and mom were standout athletes at Baylor, London Smith (6-0, 200) spurned offers from Texas, Texas A&M, Alabama, Georgia, Nebraska, Penn State and Oregon, among others, to stay with the hometown Bears.
Smith, a four-year starter who finished his career with 201 catches for 3,557 yards and 42 touchdowns, said Aranda, wide receivers coach Dallas Baker and recruiting coordinator Khenon Hall "stayed solid to me since my freshman year (2022), so I'm going to stay solid to them, for sure."
From a film session with the media on Wednesday, Aranda said the 6-foot, 200-pound Smith is a leader, a "dawg" and a competitor.
"When you watch film, it speaks out," Aranda said, "because London is a dude that if he's one-on-one, throw me the ball. If it's, I've got to make a play, get it to me. Or, who's the best guy over there? I want to go against him. That's London, and his film shows all of that."
A standout for University High School on the basketball court as well, Smith said he would "use the exact same words" as Aranda. "I'm a dawg, man. I want the best competition, and I hope the best competition wants me."
London's dad, Rodney Smith, was a three-year starter at safety for Baylor football and also played for the basketball team in 1996. His mother, Stacey Bowers Smith, was a national champion in the triple jump and is in her 24th year on the Baylor track and field coaching staff.
"He loves Baylor, he wants to be here, he wants to win, and he wants to flip it," Aranda said of London.
With the Bears losing the bulk of its receiving corps – Josh Cameron, Ashtyn Hawkins, Kole Wilson, Kobe Prentice and tight end Michael Trigg – Smith and Peters (5-10, 165) will get chances to prove themselves as early as this spring.
"I think you give them opportunities, and you coach them," Aranda said. "You find out where they're at, and you meet them where they're at. You give them the tools and the coaching to take that next step. If it's got to be slowed down, you slow it down. If it can be sped up, then let's speed up. But give them every opportunity to make an impact, because their success is our success."
A consensus three-star recruit and top-100 prospect in the state, Peters had 95 receptions for 1,455 yards and 15 touchdowns over the past two seasons at Temple's Lake Belton High School, adding 705 yards and another 11 scores on the ground. He held offers from Arkansas, Michigan, Nebraska, Ole Miss, TCU, Texas Tech and Wisconsin.
"They were one of my first offers, and the coaches, they are really, really close with us, the relationships they make," said Peters, who has also excelled on the track. "It's not just about football. They make sure education's first, and they're very godly people. They've always checked on me to make sure I'm doing great, not only the field but off the field, too. That's just really what brought me home to them."
Aranda compares Peters to former Baylor receiver Monaray Baldwin in his "ability to make plays after the catch."
"Whether it's a bubble screen or quick passes, he's someone that can take a three-yard thing and make it be a 73-yard thing," Aranda said. "His speed is really good, but he can make contested catches, too. . . . I think he's really dynamic in space, and we can really maximize him with some of the screens and three-step game and even some of the (run-pass options). His speed, agility and start and stop are really, really good."
The other four-star recruits in the class are defensive lineman Jae'Lin Battle from Oklahoma City, running back Ryelan Morris from Honey Grove, Texas, and offensive lineman Donel Robinson Jr. from Durant, Miss. A "home-run hitter," Morris picked the Bears over offers from Miami (Fla.), Missouri, USC, Oklahoma and Oregon, among others.
"He's a mismatch guy," Aranda said of Morris. "Out of the backfield, he's a threat. Special teams-wise, he's a threat. Anytime you can give a guy the ball, and three yards can go to 80 yards, there's a positive. And we've got that with him."
On the offensive side, Baylor added tight ends Parker Almanza from Trophy Club, Texas, and Kai Wesley from Orem, Utah, and quarterback Quinn Murphy from Argyle, Texas. Joining Battle on the defensive side are safety Jordan Davis from Prosper, linebackers Tyrone Morgan from Baton Rouge, La., and Jamarion Phillips from Dallas South Oak Cliff and cornerback Jamarion Richardson from Texarkana.
"What they bring is an energy, an exuberance, a want to get after it, and an excitement," Aranda said of the 12-player class. "And they bring playmaking ability. There are certain guys, particularly the (skill position players), that are going to get opportunities to play right away."
Baylor football will open the 2026 season with a neutral-site matchup against Auburn in the Aflac Kickoff Game on Sept. 5 at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Players Mentioned
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
TE
/ Football
WR
/ FootballBaylor Football: London Smith (National Signing Day 2026)
Thursday, December 04
Baylor Football National Signing Day Film Breakdown with Dave Aranda
Wednesday, December 03
Baylor Football: Dave Aranda National Signing Day Media Availability
Wednesday, December 03
Baylor Football: Quinn Murphy Highlights (National Signing Day 2026)
Wednesday, December 03
