Twenty of the nation’s top high school football players have signed to play for Baylor in the Class of 2018, head coach Matt Rhule announced Wednesday.
Included in the 20 signees are 16 players from the state of Texas.
The Bears will also be able to sign players through Friday and during the traditional signing window that begins February 7.
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/Last
Gerry Bohanon QB 6-3 221 Earle, AR/Earle HS
Josh Fleeks WR 6-0 170 Dallas, TX/Cedar Hill HS
Connor Galvin OL 6-7 275 Katy, TX/Katy HS
Jackson Gleeson WR 6-1 175 Mansfield, TX/Mansfield HS
Ylijaah Hall OL 6-5 293 Bryan, TX/Bryan HS
Byron Hanspard, Jr. CB 6-0 180 DeSoto, TX/DeSoto HS
Christoph Henle TE 6-6 245 Arlington, TX/The Oakridge School
Jackson Kimble OL 6-5 270 Southlake, TX/Southlake Carroll HS
Josh Landry DE 6-3 255 Houston, TX/Lamar HS
Mark Milton CB 6-1 175 Houston, TX/Clear Brook HS
Christian Morgan S 6-1 195 Houston, TX/Porter HS
Casey Phillips OL 6-6 280 Franklin, TX/Franklin HS
Princeton Pines OL 6-5 340 Baton Rouge, LA/Tara HS
Issac Power P 6-2 180 Parker, CO/Ponderosa HS
Ben Sims TE 6-5 255 San Antonio, TX/Clark HS
Marje Smith DE 6-6 210 Marshall, TX/Marshall HS
Bralen Taylor ATH 6-7 225 Cuero, TX/Cuero HS
Tyquan Thornton WR 6-3 170 Miami, FL/Booker T. Washington HS
JT Woods S 6-3 182 San Antonio, TX/Steele HS
Kalon Barnes WR 5-11 172 Silsbee, TX/Silsbee
Gerry Bohanon (6-3, 221)
QB | Earle, Arkansas | Earle High School
Top rated dual-threat quarterback for Earle High School and coach AC Coleman … helped Earle to 10-1 record in 2017 … passed for 2,675 yards with 34 touchdowns as a senior … added 1,200 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns … Elite 11 selection … two-time All-State honoree … three-time all-county … three-time all-conference selection … passes for 11,362 yards and 142 touchdowns in his high school career … rushed for 5,925 and 70 touchdowns … threw for 2,734 yards and rushed for more than 1,000 as a junior … As a sophomore, he passed for 1,763 yards, rushed for 964 yards in eight games … tallied 46 tackles and nine sacks in five games at defensive end … rated four stars by 247 Sports … No. 1 player in Arkansas … No. 9 dual-threat quarterback in the country … No. 229 nationally … Four-star rating according to ESPN … No. 122 in ESPN 300 … No. 8 dual-threat quarterback … No. 1 player in Arkansas … three stars by Rivals … No. 5 player in Arkansas … No. 18 dual-threat quarterback in nation … picked Baylor over Arkansas, Alabama, Louisville, LSU, Georgia and Auburn … January enrollee
Josh Fleeks (6-0, 170)
WR | Dallas, Texas | Cedar Hill High School
Elite athlete that possesses the versatility to play every offensive skill position … starred at Cedar Hill High School for coach Carlos Lynn … tallied 313 rushing yards and four touchdowns as senior … also had 32 receptions for 363 yards and five scores … recorded 53 catches for 663 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior … first-team all-district selection … helped team to 11-2 record in 2016 … played sophomore and junior seasons at Cedar Hill for current Baylor tight ends coach Joey McGuire … rated four stars by 247Sports … No. 32 in Texas according to 247 … rated the No. 267 player nationally … four-star prospect according to ESPN … No. 25 in the state of Texas … No. 153 on the ESPN 300 … 23rd best receiver in the country … three-star prospect according to Rivals … No. 13 all-purpose player nationally … No. 62 player in Texas … Dallas Morning-News’ No. 11 player in the Metroplex … No. 22 player in DFW according to Ft. Worth Star-Telegram … also ran track competing in 100m, 200m and high jump … Selected Baylor over offers from Georgia, Arizona, Missouri and Texas A&M
Connor Galvin (6-7, 275)
OL | Katy, Texas | Katy High School
Powerful offensive line prospect that played at Katy High School for coach Gary Joseph … helped Katy to a 12-1 record as a senior and a trip to state semifinals … graded out at 91 percent as a senior with 63 knockdowns … Dave Campbell’s Texas Football third team Super Team … DCTF Texas Top 300 … four-star prospect according to ESPN … Ranked No. 224 on the ESPN 300 … No. 30 in Texas … 18th-best offensive tackle in the country by ESPN … No. 488 player nationally according to 247 Sports … rated No. 67 in Texas … Nation’s No. 38 offensive tackle … rated three stars by 247 … No. 49 in Texas … Ranked three stars by Rivals … led Katy to 10-3 record as a junior … selected Baylor over offers from TCU, UCLA, Florida and Colorado
Jackson Gleeson (6-1, 175)
WR | Mansfield, Texas | Mansfield High School
Speedy wide receiver with exceptional hands … played at Mansfield High School for coach Daniel Maberry … recorded 33 catches for 888 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior … averaged 24.5 yards per catch … helped team to 11-2 record in 2017 … first team All-District selection … tallied 487 yards and six touchdowns as a junior … led Mansfield to 10-3 record in 2016 and a trip to third round of playoffs … earned District 4-6A All-District Second Team Offense honors in 2016 … five touchdowns as a sophomore … rated three stars by 247 … No. 101 in Texas … three-star ranking from ESPN … No. 119 in Texas … also competed in track with a personal best time of 21.14 in the 200 meters … No. 28 player in DFW according to Ft. Worth Star-Telegram … Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Texas Top 300 … selected Baylor over offers from Boise State, Iowa State, Missouri and Nebraska … will also run track at Baylor
Ylijaah Hall (6-5, 293)
OL | Bryan, Texas | Bryan High School
Imposing offensive lineman for coach Chris Johnson at Bryan High School … graded out at 89 percent as a senior with 28 pancake blocks and no sacks allowed … All-District 18-5A honorable mention as a junior … rated three stars by 247 Sports … No. 155 in Texas … three-star recruit according to Rivals … rated three stars by ESPN … No. 88 in state of Texas … helped team to second round of playoffs in 2016 … Dave Campbell’s Texas Football third team Super Team … DCTF Texas Top 300 … chose Baylor over interest from Houston and Arkansas
Byron Hanspard, Jr. (6-0, 180)
CB | DeSoto, Texas | DeSoto High School
One of the nation’s top cornerback prospects with plenty of size and outstanding ball skills ... Under Armour All-America Game selection … Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Texas Top 300 … Landry Award Finalist … 42 tackles, 3.0 TFL and one interception as a senior for coach Todd Peterman … also had 36 receptions for 493 yards and two touchdowns … helped team to 10-2 record in 2017 … tallied 40 tackles and three picks during junior season … rated four stars by 247 Sports … No. 289 nationally … No. 33 in Texas … No. 12 athlete in the country … four-star rating by ESPN … No. 100 in ESPN 300 … No. 13 in Texas … No. 13 corner nationally … three-star corner according to Rivals … No. 72 in Texas … father, Byron, was unanimous All-American and the Doak Walker award winner in 1996 at Texas Tech … picked Baylor over Arkansas, Texas Tech, Colorado and Houston
Christoph Henle (6-6, 245)
TE | Arlington, Texas | The Oakridge School
Tight end with capable hands and strong run-blocking potential for coach Phillip Farhat at The Oakridge School in Arlington, Texas … 24 catches for 348 yards with one touchdown … had 55 tackles, 15 TFL and 13 sacks on defense … helped team to 8-2 record as a senior … recorded 41 receptions for 579 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior … No. 31 player in DFW according to Ft. Worth Star-Telegram … three-star prospect according to 247 Sports … Ranked No. 110 in Texas ... Nation’s No. 40 tight end … rated three stars by ESPN … Ranked No. 22 tight end nationally … No. 115 in the state of Texas … Rivals rating of three stars … No. 39 tight end … No. 91 in Texas … all-district selection as a junior … selected Baylor over offers from Houston, Illinois and Kentucky … January enrollee … originally from Innsbruck, Austria
Jackson Kimble (6-5, 270)
OL | Southlake, TX | Southlake Carroll High School
Versatile lineman that anchored offensive line at Southlake Carroll for coach Hal Wasson … helped team to 10-4 record as a senior … graded at 92 percent with 107 knockdowns and only two sacks allowed … two-time first team all-district honoree … one of Dave Campbell Texas Football’s top offensive linemen in state of Texas … No. 63 player in DFW according to Ft. Worth Star-Telegram … invited to play for Team USA in the International Bowl … rated three stars by 247 Sports … No. 67 offensive tackle nationally … Ranked No. 118 in Texas … ranked as three-star recruit by Rivals … No. 58 in Texas … No. 41 offensive tackle nationally … a three-star recruit according to ESPN … No. 79 in Texas … led team to 10-2 record as a junior … picked Baylor over offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, TCU and Texas Tech … high school teammate of current Baylor linemen Henry Klinge III and Ryan Miller
Josh Landry (6-3, 255)
DE | Houston, Texas | Lamar High School
Dominating defensive end prospect with great athleticism … played for coach Tom Nolen at Lamar … helped team to 9-2 record as a senior … two-time All-District selection … tallied 46 tackles and 5.5 sacks in 2017 … Rated four stars by ESPN … No. 62 in state of Texas … No. 33 defensive tackle nationally … four-star recruit according to Rivals … No. 16 weak side defensive end nationally … No. 35 in state of Texas … three-star recruit by 247 Sports … No. 63 in Texas … No. 35 defensive tackle in country … Dave Campbell’s Texas Football third team Super Team … DCTF Texas Top 300 … selected Baylor over offers from Houston, Iowa State, Nebraska, Texas Tech and Oregon State
Mark Milton (6-1, 175)
CB | Houston, Texas | Clear Brook High School
Outstanding athlete who projects at cornerback … starred for coach Mike Allison at Clear Brook High School … played both ways as a senior … 52 tackles, two TFL, two PBU and one interception … four receptions for 114 yards and two touchdowns … also blocked a punt for a touchdown … Rated three stars by 247 Sports … No. 114 in Texas … No. 72 athlete nationally … three-star prospect according to Rivals … three stars according to ESPN … No. 94 in Texas … No. 50 athlete nationally … 30 receptions for 412 yards and six touchdowns as junior … Added 487 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground … Member of Dave Campbell Texas Football’s Texas Top 300 … Selected Baylor over Missouri, Virginia and Minnesota
Christian Morgan (6-1, 195)
S | Houston, Texas | Porter High School
Hard-hitting safety prospect who played for coach Jim Holley at Porter High School … 77 tackles and four interceptions as a senior … helped team to 7-4 record … Participated in The Opening … recorded the top Nike SPARQ score in the country – 144.00 … member of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Texas Top 300 … tallied 56 tackles as a junior including 30 solo stops … rated three stars by 247 Sports … No. 90 in Texas … No. 49 safety nationally … three-star recruit according to ESPN ... No. 87 in Texas … No. 30 safety nationally … earned three-star ranking from Rivals.com … District 21-5A All-District First Team Defense honoree as a junior … picked Baylor over offers from Arizona State, Northwestern, Texas Tech and Vanderbilt … January enrollee
Casey Phillips (6-6, 280)
OL | Franklin, Texas | Franklin High School
Powerful offensive line prospect for Franklin High School and coach Mike Hedrick … tremendous size and athleticism allowed him to play tight end during his high school career … helped team to 10-2 record as a senior … Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Texas Top 300 ‘Best of the Rest’ … second team All-State selection as a junior … two-time All-District honoree … led team to 8-3 record as a junior … rated three stars by 247 Sports … No. 100 player in Texas … No. 63 offensive tackle nationally … Three-star recruit according to Rivals … ESPN ranked as three-star recruit … No. 80 in Texas … No. 39 offensive tackle in country … chose Baylor over Oklahoma State, TCU and Texas Tech … January enrollee
Princeton Pines (6-5, 340)
OL | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Tara High School
Dominant run-blocking prospect for coach Terry Washington at Tara High … played senior year at Tara after transferring from University High … one of the top offensive linemen in the state of Louisiana … invited to the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl … three-star rating from 247 Sports … No. 37 in Louisiana … No. 36 offensive guard nationally … rated three stars by Rivals … three-star recruit according to ESPN … No. 23 in state of Louisiana … No. 43 offensive guard in the nation … No. 4 offensive lineman in Louisiana … selected Baylor over Arkansas, Mississippi State, Missouri and TCU
Issac Power (6-2, 180)
P | Parker, Colorado | Ponderosa High School
One of the top punters in the nation at Ponderosa High School under coach Jaron Cohen … 2018 US Army All-American Bowl selection … helped Ponderosa High to 9-2 record as a senior … rated 4.5 stars by Chris Sailer Kicking … No. 5 ranked punter nationally … 2017 TOP 12 Camp Invitee … 2017 Vegas XXIX Punt Finalist … 2017 Vegas XXIX Field Goal Finalist … 2017 TOP 12 Day 2 Punting Champion … 2017 TOP 12 Member … 2016 and 2017 ProKicker.com Top Prospect Award winner ... Ranked No. 5 nationally by 247 Sports … No. 13 in Colorado … 59 touchbacks on 67 kickoffs as a senior … Punted 22 times in 2017 with an average of 41.3 yards … Also converted 9-of-13 field goal attempts with a long of 58 yards
Ben Sims (6-5, 255)
TE | San Antonio, Texas | Clark High School
Skilled tight end who excels as a pass catcher … played for coach Steve McGhee at Clark High School … 24 receptions for 444 yards and seven touchdowns in 2017 … Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Texas Top 300 … totaled 30 receptions for 477 yards and two touchdowns as a junior … ranked three stars by 247 Sports … No. 159 player in Texas … No. 49 tight end nationally … three-star recruit according to Rivals … No. 50 tight end in country … three-stars by ESPN … No. 139 player in Texas … No. 28 tight end nationally … selected Baylor over Auburn, Texas Tech and Arizona State
Marje Smith (6-6, 210)
DE | Marshall, Texas | Marshall High School
Talented edge rusher from Marshall High School … played under head coach Claude Mathis … three stars according to 247 Sports … No. 87 weak side defensive end … No. 228 in Texas … three-star prospect according to ESPN … No. 164 in Texas … No. 100 defensive end nationally … Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Top Texas 300 … Finished senior season with 59 tackles (42 solo) and 17.0 tackles for loss … added 14.0 sacks and six PBU in 2017 … 23 tackles and one sack as a junior … second team All-District in 2016 … 28 tackles and 3.0 TFL as a sophomore
Bralen Taylor (6-7, 225)
ATH | Cuero, Texas | Cuero High School
Tall, athletic chess piece that will create mismatches on offense … played for coach Travis Reeve at Cuero High School … helped Cuero to a 12-1 record in 2017 and trip to state quarterfinals … also stars on basketball team … 32 catches for 612 yards and six touchdowns in 2017 … also rushed for two scores … rushed for 545 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior … added 18 receptions for 377 yards and four touchdowns … has three career touchdown passes … led team to 13-1 record in 2016 … Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Texas Top 300 … three-star prospect according to 247 Sports … No. 82 in Texas … No. 28 tight end nationally … earned three-star rating from Rivals … No. 87 in Texas … No. 37 tight end nationally … three-star recruit according to ESPN … No. 77 in Texas … No. 12 tight end nationally … picked Baylor over offers from Florida, Georgia, Miami (Fla.), Nebraska, Ole Miss, Oregon, Oklahoma State and TCU … nephew of former Baylor letterman Trooper Taylor
Tyquan Thornton (6-3, 170)
WR | Miami, Florida | Booker T. Washington High School
Fleet-footed wide receiver with exceptional hands for coach Tim “Ice” Harris at Booker T. Washington High … more than 1,100 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns … added 214 rushing yards with three scores … also played quarterback as a senior with three touchdown passes … two-time All-Dade honoree … rated four stars by 247 Sports … No. 37 player in Florida … No. 257 nationally … No. 44 wide receiver in the country … Four-star recruit according to Rivals … No. 42 in Florida … No. 237 nationally … No. 42 wide receiver in the country … Ranked three stars by ESPN … No. 83 in Florida … No. 86 wide out nationally … also a standout in track … personal best of 10.50 in 100 meters … 200-meter PR is 21.07 … selected Baylor over Florida, Georgia, Miami (Fla.), LSU and Tennessee … will also run track at Baylor … January enrollee
JT Woods (6-3, 182)
S | San Antonio, Texas | Steele High School
Instinctive defensive back for coach David Saenz at Steele High School … helped Steele to an 9-5 record as a senior … Totaled 33 tackles and one sack as a senior while playing both ways … also had six receptions for 63 yards and two rushes for 39 yards … Finished junior season in 2016 with 90 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and one interception … helped team to 14-2 record and state quarterfinal appearance as a junior … had 23 tackles and one interception as a sophomore … rated three stars by 247 Sports … No. 127 in Texas … No. 77 safety nationally … three-star recruit according to Rivals … Three-star recruit at ESPN … No. 55 safety nationally … No. 148 player in Texas … Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Texas Top 300 … Also competed in track … holds personal-best of 10.64 in the 100 meters, 21.87 in the 200 meters and 13.80 in the 100-meter hurdles … will also run track at Baylor … January enrollee
