19 Days till Kickoff: Baylor’s #19s AJ McCarty & Javon Gipson
As always, keep track of both the stats and roster countdowns in the Offseason Hub!
AJ McCarty is a redshirt sophomore cornerback from Brownwood, Texas. He should have two years of eligibility remaining past this season, and Baylor’s website has him listed at 5-foot-11, 194 pounds. McCarty is currently competing in Fall Camp for the third corner spot behind Mark Milton and Lorando Johnson.
Our own Travis Roeder thinks McCarty will be an impact role player this fall and had this to say about the third-year corner, “his combination of freaky athleticism, good size, and overall football acumen don’t come around often. Whether he’s the starter this year or not, I don’t think it particularly matters because he’s going to need to play a ton. Guys like him who are playmakers just tend to be around the ball. He isn’t a household name for Baylor fans, but he’s gonna come up with a huge interception or two this season.
Beyond playing corner, because of his size and athleticism, he’s an ideal fit as a special teams ace, both covering kicks (meaning, running down and making tackles on kickoff and punts) and setting up as a blocker on punt returns. In a tight Big 12 race, special teams margins matter, and he will be a difference-maker in that arena.”
McCarty saw action in thirteen games in 2021 and recorded two tackles and a pass breakup on the year. Despite playing in the final three games on special teams, he redshirted the 2020 season.
As a do-it-all player at Brownwood High School, McCarty led his team to an 11-2 record and the third round of the state playoffs as a senior. In 2019, McCarty had 44 receptions for 1,037 yards and 11 touchdowns while totaling 46 tackles and six pass breakups on defense. He earned All-District honors in each of the three years he was on Varsity. McCarty was a four-sport athlete and won the state title in the triple jump while also receiving All-District honors in basketball and baseball. Dave Campbell ranked McCarty as the No. 11 athlete and the No. 101 player in the state of Texas. He chose Baylor over Notre Dame in the class of 2020.
Javon Gipson is a redshirt freshman receiver from Richmond, Texas. Gipson should have three years of eligibility remaining past this season, and with little experience in the receiver room, he will have a chance in Fall Camp to carve out some playing time for the upcoming season. At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, Gipson showed his ability to go up and get the ball in this year’s Green and Gold game with an impressive catch that’s featured below.
Travis had this to say about the second-year receiver, “What makes him such a good “X” WR prospect is his potential to have an all-around game. In high school, he primarily worked deep, utilizing an explosive, long stride to eat up defensive backs’ cushions. He doesn’t have elite deep speed, and at the Power 5 college level, I wouldn’t describe it as above average, but because he’s so explosive off the line, he’s able to win very quickly. He’s very similar to [Hal] Presley in that regard, though I think he is a tad faster.”
At George Ranch High School, Gipson totaled 29 receptions, 530 yards, and four touchdowns in only eight games in 2020. He was the No. 93 player in Texas, the No. 95 receiver nationally, and a three-star recruit, according to 247. After choosing Baylor over Houston and Iowa State in the class of 2021, Gipson redshirted his first season in Waco.