Update on Nate Bennett's 2022 Injury
Baylor quarterback commit Nate Bennett battled through an entire season with a grade 3 torn abdominal rectus, which severely impacted his mobility and ability to throw the football. This added to the challenges he faced during a difficult season, following his impressive sophomore campaign. His sophomore year he threw for 2,946 yards with 41 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 60% of his passes at Village Christian School.He then moved to Oaks Christian where they ran the ball 278 times while splitting up quarterback duties among three different players. Bennett lost 84 opportunities to throw the football which led to him only attempting 139 passes. He finished with 1,228 yards and 14 touchdowns with nine interceptions while completing 66% of his passes. It is clear there were many factors at play here including the season-long injury he played through.Bennett has responded this spring and that strong showing has sparked interest from various schools who have seen him in person. Although the details of these interactions will likely remain undisclosed due to his commitment to Baylor, it is clear that his performances have garnered attention from other programs. His return to full health sets the stage for an anticipated breakout season as a senior.The Baylor coaching staff, led by Shawn Bell, has recognized Bennett's abilities and invested significant time and effort in his evaluation process. Bell has a track record of identifying promising quarterback prospects. His initial offers to Cade Klubnik, DJ Lagway, and Austin Novosad were followed by national recognition and acclaim for these players. Hence, Bell's endorsement of Bennett speaks volumes about the quarterback's potential. At some point we have to trust him on the evaluation side of things and with the amount of time he put into this recruitment, we know he saw the flashes he needed to when Bennett was healthy.I am not saying Bennett is the top quarterback in the nation or the top quarterback offer in this class but there is reason to be optimistic about his upside and potential for a major bounce back senior season.
Commitment Analysis: Could Nate Bennett Be Baylor's Next Nick Florence?
SicEm365 Lead Recruiting Analyst and Co-Editor Grayson Grundhoefer details the commitment of Nate Bennett in the 2024 class.
Under Armour Camp Preview and Running Thread
SicEm365 Lead Recruiting Analyst and Co-Editor Grayson Grundhoefer previews the Under Armour Camp in Dallas as many Baylor targets look to cement themselves as top prospects in the state.
2024 QB Recruiting Note
Cy-Fair QB Trey Owens let me know that he is making his commitment decision today and it will be to Texas. That decision will leave Baylor with one quarterback offer out to an uncommitted and realistic prospect in the 2024 class, four-star QB Walker White. Both White and Owens have been the top priority for the Baylor staff since the Fall.Other OffersMarcos Davila (TCU), Derek (DJ) Lagway (Florida), Mabrey Mettauer (Wisconsin), Dylan Raiola (uncommitted but not realistic, likely heading to Georgia or Nebraska)White seemed like the top priority once he was offered and now it is pretty clear that he will be for the time being. Look for the staff to continue evaluating more signal callers in 2024 while also pursuing White heavily. This is a big opportunity for the staff has they now have created a ton of separation age wise in the QB room. Robertson was a 2021 prospect and Shapen was a 2020 prospect so there will be multiple classes between the 2024 signee and the rest of the quarterbacks on the roster. Perfect time to use this as a massive advantage.
DJ Lagway Commits to Florida
Derek (DJ) Lagway 5⭐️ QB DJ Lagway (@DerekLagway) has committed to Florida over Baylor, Texas A&M, Clemson, and USC.The 6-foot-3, 225-pound prospect completed 67% of his passes, totaled over 2,600 yards, and 31 touchdowns in just eight games during his junior season.He is a Baylor legacy.— Grayson Grundhoefer (@GrayGrundhoefer) December 7, 2022