PHILIP BLAKE

Position: Offensive guard

Ht/Wt: 6-4/305

School: Tyler Junior College

Where he fits: Blake planned to sign with the University of Houston, but decided to attend Tyler Junior College after Art Briles became Baylor’s coach in November 2007. Blake became Baylor’s first verbal commitment of this class before last year’s signing day. The offensive lineman will have three years of eligibility remaining at Baylor after starting last season at Tyler. He was a teammate of Baylor linebacker/defensive end Fredric Plesius at Champlain Regional College in Quebec. Blake will be the third Canadian on the Baylor squad along with Plesius and offensive tackle Danny Watkins.

CHANCE CASEY

Position: Cornerback

Ht/Wt: 5-11/165

School: Crosby

Where he fits: With 4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash, Casey will likely play cornerback for the Bears. He rushed for more than 3,000 yards in the last three seasons for Crosby despite injuries. He also plans to follow Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin by running track for the Bears. Casey won two hurdles titles in the Class 4A meet last spring with a time of 13.87 seconds in the 110 meters and 36.3 seconds in the 300 meters. “Chance is a great athlete and he’ll do well at Baylor,” Crosby football coach Kevin Flanigan said. “Running back was his main position for us, but we also used him at receiver and defensive back. He’s a very coachable kid, and he’s tough as nails.”

DENERICK DEMBY

Position: Safety

Ht/Wt: 6-1/185

School: Spring Westfield

Where he fits: After playing quarterback since seventh grade, Demby moved to safety last fall because that’s where Spring Westfield coach Corby Meekins felt he could best help the team. Demby, who has 4.5 speed in the 40, had a solid season as he recorded 32 tackles and an interception. A second-team All-Greater Houston selection, Demby chose Baylor over Boise State, and hopes to step in and play for the Bears in the fall.

TEVIN ELLIOT

Position: Outside linebacker

Ht/Wt: 6-3, 215

School: Mount Pleasant

Where he fits: A Class 4A third-team all-state linebacker, Elliot collected 87 tackles, five sacks and recovered three fumbles as a senior. Elliot ranks No. 54 nationally among outside linebackers, according to Scout.com. “Tevin is a strong and physical player with a great upside,” Baylor coach Art Briles said.

RICO FORBES

Position: Defensive end

Ht/Wt: 6-5/270

School: Houston St. Pius X

Where he fits: After originally verbally committing to Texas A&M, Forbes decided instead to sign with Baylor. A native of the Bahamas, Forbes never played football before coming to Houston St. Pius High School, where he played defensive end for two seasons. Since he was 19 years old, he was ineligible to play high school football last fall. Forbes transferred to Houston Life prep school last fall in hopes of graduating in December and joining Baylor this spring. Now, Baylor coaches hope he’ll be able to join the team this summer. “He’s got worlds of ability, worlds of potential,” Briles said. “We just need to turn those characteristics into reality.”

MARQUIS FRANKLIN

Position: Offensive tackle

Ht/Wt: 6-7/318

School: Blinn College

Where he fits: At 6-7 and 318 pounds, Franklin will be one of the biggest offensive tackles in the Big 12 and has a chance to play immediately since the position is one of Baylor’s biggest needs. He’s the third-ranked junior college offensive lineman in the country by Scout.com, and was a first-team all-conference lineman. Franklin played four seasons at Tyler John Tyler High School before playing the last two seasons at Blinn, where he plans to graduate in May.

TERRANCE GANAWAY

Position: Running back

Ht/Wt: 6-0/220

School: DeKalb (University of Houston transfer)

Where he fits: Ganaway played under Baylor coach Art Briles as a freshman at the University of Houston in 2007, and ranked second on the squad with 550 yards rushing and six touchdowns. Following the death of his mother, Ganaway sat out of football last year while attending Texarkana College. During his high school career at DeKalb, Ganaway rushed for 6,547 career yards and scored 78 touchdowns. “Terrance is very intelligent and a very physical football player,” Briles said. “He can be a big, powerful back.”

JOSH GORDON

Position: Wide receiver

Ht/Wt: 6-4/211

School: Houston Lamar

Where he fits: The Bears won a major recruiting battle with Nebraska and Texas A&M to land Gordon, who has superb speed to match his 6-4 frame. A Tribune-Herald Top 100 recruit, Gordon caught 25 passes for 531 yards for Houston Lamar last season. He ranks No. 70 nationally among wide receivers by Rivals.com. “He’s a big, strong physical kid with big hands,” Briles said.

DEANTRE HARLAN

Position: Defensive line

Ht/Wt: 6-4, 240

School: Everman

Where he fits: Harlan is a talented athlete who played tight end and defensive line for Everman, and is also a gifted basketball player. Briles sees him as a defensive lineman for the Bears. He recorded 22 tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery as a senior. “He’s exactly what we’d like to find inside — a big, physical kid who has a tremendous amount of ability,” Briles said.

MIKE HICKS

Position: Safety

Ht/Wt: 5-10, 175

School: China Spring

Where he fits: Hicks was one of the top receivers in the history of Texas high school football for the Cougars, catching 228 passes for 4,328 yards and 41 touchdowns in four seasons. But China Spring coach Mark Bell used the talented athlete all over the field. As a senior, he caught 45 passes for 926 yards and 12 touchdowns while rushing for more 619 yards and 11 scores. Though he was mostly known for his catching and running skills, Hicks was a hard-hitting safety who collected 88 tackles and four interceptions as a senior. Baylor plans to use him as a safety. “Mike is a fantastic defensive player,” Bell said.

STEFAN HUBER

Position: Offensive guard

Ht/Wt: 6-4/272

School: Nederland

Where he fits: Ranked No. 68 nationally among offensive guards, Huber was a second-team all-state Class 4A pick. Huber is a powerful blocker who also throws the discus for the track team. “Stefan is a a big, powerful kid with a tremendous upside,” Briles said.

WILLIE JEFFERSON

Position: Wide receiver

Ht/Wt: 6-7/205

School: Beaumont Ozen

Where he fits: Jefferson made an 11th-hour decision Tuesday to sign with Baylor after switching his commitment from Houston. Blessed with great size at 6-7 and good speed, Jefferson will be one of the most athletic players in this class. He caught 13 passes for Ozen last fall, and also plays forward for the basketball team, which made the Class 4A state finals in 2006-07. He might follow in Baylor receiver Kendall Wright’s footsteps and try to play basketball for the Bears next season.

DARIUS JONES

Position: Athlete

Ht/Wt: 6-0/185

School: Marshall

Where he fits: One of the biggest surprises of Baylor’s class, Jones shocked a lot of people by switching his commitment from Oklahoma in late January. Jones said the Sooners targeted him as a defensive back, but he preferred to play slot receiver and signed with Baylor instead. Ranked No. 5 nationally by ESPN.com among athletes, Jones played several position for Marshall, including quarterback, receiver and cornerback. He picked up more than 1,100 yards total offense as a senior despite an ankle injury that hampered him much of the season.

BYRON LANDOR

Position: Safety

Ht/Wt: 6-1/208

School: Blinn College

Where he fits: Landor has taken a long and winding road to get to Baylor. A graduate of Washington-Marion High School in Lake Charles, La., Landor signed with McNeese State but never played for the team. He transferred to Louisiana-Monroe where he redshirted before moving on to Blinn College. Landor had a solid year at safety for Blinn with 102 tackles and an interception, and could make a quick impact in Baylor’s secondary with his experience. “The main reason I went to Blinn was because I felt I could get a look by bigger schools,” Landor said. “It was a good experience, and I don’t regret going there.”

TERRANCE LLOYD

Position: Defensive end

Ht/Wt: 6-4/230

School: Houston Stratford

Where he fits: After originally committing to Missouri, Lloyd helped top off Baylor’s class by deciding to switch to Baylor late last week. Lloyd can fill a big need by giving the Bears a quick pass rusher at defensive end. As a junior, he recorded 95 tackles and eight sacks. “Terrance is a big, long defensive end,” Briles said. “His body type fits just what we are looking for at that position. He’s explosive, quick and powerful.”

Round Rock Stony Point running back Glasco Martin is one of the jewels of Baylor's class. (Jose Yau photo)

---

GLASCO MARTIN

Position: Running back

Ht/Wt: 6-0/196

School: Round Rock Stony Point

Where he fits: One of the jewels of Baylor’s class, Martin rushed for 1,613 yards and 25 touchdowns to lead Stony Point to the Class 5A Division I state semifinals. Martin ranked No. 37 on Rivals.com Texas Top 100, and was the No. 3 athlete on the list. “I think Glasco’s potential is unlimited,” Briles said. “He can be a big, powerful running back and he can probably line up some at inside receiver.”

CHRIS McALLISTER

Position: Outside linebacker

Ht/Wt: 6-2/215

School: Converse Judson

Where he fits: Baylor made some inroads into San Antonio by signing Reagan’s LeQuince McCall and Converse Judson’s Anthony Moore. But McAllister is the most highly touted of the trio. A Tribune-Herald Top 100 recruit, McAllister switched from defensive end to linebacker during his junior year, and recorded 112 tackles, two sacks and three fumble recoveries as a senior. McAllister chose Baylor over schools like Missouri, Oklahoma State and Kansas State.

LeQUINCE McCALL

Position: Outside linebacker

Ht/Wt: 6-2/200

School: San Antonio Reagan

Where he fits: A second-team all-San Antonio area choice, McCall collected more than 130 tackles as a senior after finishing with 137 as a junior. “Quince played safety, but we’re going to move him to outside linebacker,” Briles said. “He’ll bring more speed and dynamic qualities to that position.”

Jerod Monk played quarterback for Wylie, but he will play tight end for Baylor. (Miguel Hurtado photo)

---

JEROD MONK

Position: Tight end

Ht/Wt: 6-5/230

School: Wylie

Where he fits: After leading Wylie to the Class 5A Division II championship game as a quarterback, Monk plans to play tight end for the Bears. Monk passed for 2,820 yards and 21 touchdowns and rushed for 892 yards and 11 scores for Wylie, but his 6-5, 230-pound frame should be ideal for a tight end. He chose Baylor over TCU. “Big daddy Jerod is a huge, tough, mean, confident player,” Briles said. “He’s a player that’s got to be ready to play pretty quickly.”

ANTHONY MOORE

Position: Safety

Ht/Wt: 6-2/186

School: Converse Judson

Where he fits: Moore went down with an injury during the third game of his senior season after recording 33 tackles. But he had a tremendous year as a junior as he finished with 179 tackles, nine pass breakups and an interception. “Anthony is a big, rangy safety who I think can do a great job for us.”

KELVIN PALMER

Position: Defensive end

Ht/Wt: 6-5/260

School: Dallas Adamson

Where he fits: Ranked No. 57 nationally by Rivals.com among defensive ends, Palmer is a tough competitor who will give the Bears athleticism on the defensive line. He was a first-team all-District 11-4A choice as a junior.

BRYCE PETTY

Position: Quarterback

Ht/Wt: 6-3/212

School: Midlothian

Where he fits: The last player to verbally commit to the Bears on Tuesday night, Petty plans to grayshirt and enroll at Baylor in January. Petty originally committed to Tennessee during the summer, but he said he didn’t hear from Lane Kiffin after he became the Volunteers’ coach following the season. A pro-style quarterback, Petty passed for 1,507 yards and four touchdowns in seven games in a senior season that was plagued by a knee injury.

TEVIN REESE

Position: Wide receiver

Ht/Wt: 5-11/160

School: Temple

Where he fits: Ranked No. 109 nationally by Scout.com, Reese caught 31 passes for 542 yards and three touchdowns as a senior. He’s also a track standout who qualified for the Class 5A state meet as a junior in the triple jump and long jump, and earned a bronze medal in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 37.65 seconds. “I think Tevin might be the sleeper of the class,” Briles said. “We like the attitude and athletic ability he brings to us.”

CYRIL RICHARDSON

Position: Offensive tackle

Ht/Wt: 6-6/305

School: North Crowley

Where he fits: Blessed with great size and skill, Richardson is ranked No. 62 nationally among offensive tackles by Scout.com. Richardson was a first-team all-District 3-5A choice as a senior. “He’s a big kid who is tremendously gifted,” Briles said.

JERAMIE ROBERTS

Position: Offensive guard

Ht/Wt: 6-4/305

School: South Garland

Where he fits: An outstanding offensive line prospect, Roberts is ranked No. 17 among guards by ESPN.com and No. 37 by Rivals.com. Roberts was credited with 12 pancake blocks as a senior, and he also played on the defensive line where he recorded 81 tackles and seven sacks. “He’s strong and intelligent and we are anxious to see how he matures through the years,” Briles said.

SKYLER SCOTT

Position: Wide receiver

Ht/Wt: 6-4/305

School: Lancaster

Where he fits: One of the most heralded signees for Baylor, Scott chose Baylor over Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas and Kansas State. Scott brings good size and speed to the table, and should be a quick study after playing receiver in the spread offense at Lancaster. A Tribune-Herald Top 100 recruit, he caught 34 passes for 588 yards and five touchdowns last season. “He has the tools to be great,” Briles said.

BRODY TRAHAN

Position: Athlete

Ht/Wt: 6-0/211

School: Dickinson

Where he fits: A knee injury cut his senior season short, but he threw for 854 yards and ran for 336 yards in the first five games. Trahan had his best year as a sophomore when he passed for 1,807 yards and 23 touchdowns and rushed for 605 yards and eight scores. He’s the nephew of Baylor assistant director of football operations Beau Trahan. “Brody can play quarterback, receiver and punt the football — there’s a lot of things he brings to the table.”

Ivory Wade is the ninth-ranked offensive guard in the nation by Rivals.com. (Duane A. Laverty photo)

---

IVORY WADE

Position: Offensive guard

Ht/Wt: 6-4/306

School: Dickinson

Where he fits: One of the premier players in Baylor’s class, the SuperPrep All-America switched his commitment from Texas A&M in August. Ranked No. 9 nationally among offensive guards by Rivals.com, Wade has the size and athleticism to make a quick impact in the offensive line. He was Brody Trahan’s high school teammate.

DANNY WATKINS

Position: Offensive tackle

Ht/Wt: 6-5/290

School: Butte (Calif.) Community College

Where he fits: A four-star recruit, Watkins signed with Baylor in December and is enrolled for the spring semester. He will go through spring training with the Bears with a chance to start at offensive tackle. A former hockey player and fireman from British Columbia, Watkins has only played football for two years in junior college, but made the Region I all-California team as a sophomore.