ADDING EXPERIENCE

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider

Once Kobe Wilson entered the transfer portal, Baylor was the obvious choice for the 5-9, 165-pound wide receiver after previous stops at Incarnate Word and Texas State.

Especially when Ashtyn Hawkins, "my dog since we got to Texas State," told him in no uncertain terms, "this is the place I need to be."

"Ever since I got to Texas State, he showed me the ropes," said Wilson, who totaled 109 catches for 1,377 yards and 12 touchdowns over two years at Texas State. "We were the two starting receivers there, along with Joey Hobert. That's been my dog since we got to Texas State, and I didn't think we would end up playing (together) again. To see him get another year, that's really cool."

Along with Alabama transfer Kobe Prentice, Wilson adds elite playmaking ability and maturity to a Baylor room that lost three of its top five receivers from last year and was returning just two upperclassmen.

"Not necessarily to say we don't have playmakers," said receivers coach Dallas Baker. "But as far as the maturity level, that's why we need that. When you bring in an older guy, they feel a little bit more comfortable asking them instead of Coach Bake. And then yes, their playmaking ability. It makes the competitive edge rise."

With Hawkins potentially getting another year of eligibility, the Bears do return their top two receivers. A second-team All-American and first-team All-Big 12 punt returner, redshirt senior Josh Cameron had a team-high 52 receptions for 754 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Hawkins caught 45 passes for 567 yards and five TDs after transferring from Texas State.

"It was huge to get him back," Baker said. "He's been in this offense longer than I have. I wouldn't say it takes some of the stress off. It's just having another coach with Ashtyn and Josh."

A Freshman All-American at Incarnate Word in 2022, when he returned two punts for touchdowns and helped the Cardinals win the Southland Conference title, Wilson said he brings a "lot of speed, a lot of quickness" to the offense.

"You can get the ball in my hands, or I can take you up top," he said. "I feel like I bring a lot of experience as well. Since I was a freshman, I've been playing. And everywhere I go, I just fit in and go. I'm a real smart guy, so my IQ is up there, whether that's helping freshmen or just people my age."

While Baker expects Cameron to step up as more of a vocal leader, both Wilson and Prentice believe they can be leaders in the room as well.

"Coach Baker has talked to me about being a leader, and he's been helping me along the way," said Prentice, who totaled 60 catches for 780 yards and five touchdowns over three seasons at Alabama. "The type of leader I am, I like to lead by example and just put in the work and hope the younger guys and the people around me just follow as I give it my all each and every day. I think being a leader is definitely a role I have on this team. But right now, I'm focused on stacking days."

The receiver room lost a couple of big ones in Hal Presley and Monaray Baldwin, who combined for 180 catches for 2,721 yards and 20 touchdowns in their four-year careers at Baylor. Presley had modest numbers last year, with 31 catches for 429 yards and three TDs, but set the standard for what Baker expects in blocking.

"Hal didn't have a lot of yards, but he's getting a bunch of phone calls and meetings with (NFL) teams," Baker said. "So, I'm using that in the room. They want to draft Hal because of how hard he blocked. The game when he blocked the hardest was the game he had zero catches against Tarleton. I'm telling him, 'Hal, it's going to come to you.' But he said 'No, you said block, I'm going to block.' He's probably going to get drafted because he played his butt off."

Particularly in Jake Spavital's offense, the edge blocking by the receivers is one of the biggest keys to making it go.

Wilson, who learned how to block in high school when his team ran an I-formation offense, said "it's not really anything new to me."

"Blocking is really just an attitude," he said. "If you go up and you're scared, you're probably not going to have a good outcome. But if you go up there and handle business, then everything should be good."

A former walk-on from Cedar Park, Texas, Cameron was the breakout player in the receiver room last year, hauling in a team-high 52 receptions for 754 yards (14.5-yard average) and 10 touchdowns.

Baker said it didn't surprise him, though, because "from the moment I got here, Josh worked hard."

Known as Dallas Baker, "the Touchdown Maker" during his playing days at Florida, Baker said he had to constantly work hard just to earn his spot with guys like Percy Harvin, Louis Murphy, Andre Caldwell and Riley Cooper "all running 4.4, 4.2, 4.3, and here I come with this high 4.5, 4.6 (speed in the 40)."

"Josh reminds me of myself on that," Baker said. "So, it didn't surprise me. Now, he did shock me with the 10 touchdowns. I can't brag about that now. I'm going to win the room with 10 touchdowns. I've got to come up with something else."

Baylor also has a talented corps of young receivers that includes sophomore Jaden Porter from nearby Lorena, redshirt freshman Mason Dossett and true freshmen Taz Williams Jr., Ashton Jones and Jacorey Watson.

"With those three young guys (Williams, Jones and Watson) coming in the spring and showing flashes," Baker said, "I told those guys, if we can get the '26 class, (combined with) this '25 class of receivers, Baylor will be back like they were back in the day when they were called Wide Receiver U. One day at a time, you can't look ahead, but I'm so excited about those young guys."

Baylor football continues spring workouts with a practice Tuesday afternoon and will conclude with an open practice next Saturday, April 26, at McLane Stadium. The Bears open the 2025 season with an Aug. 29 matchup at home against Auburn, with ticket information available at 2025 Baylor Football.

ADDING EXPERIENCE

Players Mentioned

Monaray Baldwin

Josh Cameron

Mason Dossett

Ashtyn Hawkins

Ashton Jones

Kobe Prentice

Hal Presley

Jacorey Watson

Taz Williams Jr.

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