‘No Plays Off’: The Grit Behind Gavin Freeman’s Baylor Breakthrough

With the game knotted up at 13 apiece and momentum in Colorado’s corner, Baylor fifth-year senior wide receiver Gavin Freeman flipped the script in an instant.

With nothing available downfield, junior quarterback DJ Lagway checked down to his most reliable target, Freeman, near the line of scrimmage, giving his best playmaker the ball in space to make something happen.

Freeman, 5-foot-9 and 181 pounds, scampered up the field for five or so yards, then tried the unthinkable as three Colorado defenders encircled him like a flock of vultures — he made a leap of faith.

Freeman hurdled senior defensive back Naeten Mitchell, who was nearly standing straight up in his 5-foot-10 frame, then bounced off another Buff, regained his balance, stumbled forward five more yards, broke another tackle, and was eventually brought down onto the McLane Stadium turf by two more Colorado defenders. All of this craziness culminated in what was arguably the most impressive 21-yard reception you’ll ever see.

“I don't know what he was thinking,” fifth-year senior defensive end Kyler Jordan jokingly said about Freeman’s hurdle after the game. “But no, he's incredible. Seeing that, watching on the jumbotron, he's incredible. We're so lucky to have him. He's been awesome from the jump. He came in, bought into the culture, and just loves to play football. He's gonna go out there and show the world from the jump. Ha... from the jump.”

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Gavin Freeman’s hurdle gave Baylor the boost it needed to beat Colorado, 23-13.

When Freeman got back to his feet after his highlight play, one of many he’s had so far this season, he rolled his shoulders back, held a stare for a half-second, then tossed the ball to the referee. The next play happened to be a 33-yard touchdown from Lagway to junior wide receiver Jadon Porter, ultimately giving the Bears the momentum back en route to a 23-13 win.

“That gave me a lift,” Porter said of Freeman’s crazy play. “What he did was freaky. We call him ‘Freaky.’ Like this is not real. I'm seeing this as I'm on the field running towards him, and he's doing all this. I'm like, ‘This is no way. Like he's just doing all this.’ He just went into a flow state, and it was pretty cool to see. I really thought he was gonna break that last tackle, and I hoped I'd be there to block another guy for his score. It’s crazy how athletic he is, and for his size, you wouldn't think he can do all that.”

Although it’s his first year in Waco, Freeman has quickly endeared himself to the Baylor fanbase. In his debut in the Green and Gold against Auburn, he caught a career-high 12 passes for 154 yards. His biggest catches came when Baylor needed them most, including a potential game-tying touchdown in the final seconds. Freeman also went into a full dive to keep the game alive on fourth and long on the final drive and had earlier snagged a one-handed grab near the sideline with an Auburn defender draped all over him.

“There are countless clips of him being dependable,” head coach Dave Aranda said after the 17-16 loss to Auburn. “If you were to tell me on a fourth-and-whatever he’d make an amazing catch to move the chains, I would not hesitate to believe you because he’s done that countless times.”

Aranda later added, “If Gavin Freeman was a football team, you're backing him because that team's going to win. … I think it’s the guys that are the quietest and go about it in the most humble way that can kind of come up and surprise you. But he’s been that guy from the start.”

Freeman’s leave-it-all-out-on-the-field playstyle has garnered the attention of opposing coaches so far this season, as Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham made sure to address the Bears’ top pass-catcher ahead of Saturday’s matchup against Baylor and not just for his receiving abilities.

"Did you guys see the play he made the other day? It was remarkable,” Dillingham said. “He hurdled a dude, fell, but didn’t fall. Got up, fell again, but didn't fall. He was a scavenger. What people don't watch is how he plays; go watch him block. If you want to see why it all works together, watch him go out and block people in the run game when the ball is handed off. No plays off for that kid. He’s one of those guys who are wired to be full-speed ahead all of the time."

When you watch Baylor this fall, No. 6 leaves no doubt as to who’s the toughest and most physical player on the field. Freeman plays the game with reckless abandon, in the best way possible. Although he’s smaller than most of the defenders he faces, he makes up for it with heart and work ethic. He’s not afraid to drop his shoulder at any time, and he always gets up, even after a linebacker crushes him across the middle.

“Gavin is extremely tough,” wide receivers coach Dallas Baker said when asked about Freeman. “If there were a bear, I would be worried for the bear. No, if there were two bears, I’d be worried about the two bears. The guy’s just tough. He holds himself to a certain standard.”

Fifth-year senior offensive lineman Kaden Sieracki added, “That dude loves to play football, and that impacts all of us. His passion for the game is what makes him different. You see him throwing his head at people and launching his body to make blocks, and I think that's contagious.”

But where does Freeman get that grit and toughness? It starts at home. His parents, Jason and Dawn, raised him with a blue-collar mentality that carries onto the football field. Freeman has played and loved the game for as long as he can remember. He grew up seeing pictures of his dad suited up for the Sooners on the wall and modeled his playing style after his father, a tight end at Oklahoma from 1995-98, and his grandfather, Ron, a linebacker at Oklahoma State from 1965-69.

“My parents taught me everything I know, just the way I am, the way I carry myself, the way I play,” Freeman told SicEm365 in an interview. “It all comes from them because that’s how they raised me early on. They raised me to never back down, always give my best effort, never let anybody see me upset, and always have the right mindset, no matter what it is.”

At Heritage High School in Oklahoma City, Freeman had a standout career. As a senior, he racked up 73 catches for 1,434 yards and totaled 24 all-purpose touchdowns, while posting four picks and 50 tackles en route to district MVP and first-team all-state honors. Despite averaging more yards per catch than Sterling Shepard and Wes Welker did — two Heritage High School alumni, Big 12 legends and long-time NFL players — Freeman was a three-star recruit and barely got any recruiting buzz from big schools.

“Yeah, for sure,” Freeman said when asked if he was underrated. “Especially coming out of high school, I only had one Power Five offer, which was disrespectful because I was one of the best players in the state. But that’s how it is sometimes. I have to make the most of my opportunities.”

Freeman ultimately followed in the footsteps of his father, Jason, attending the University of Oklahoma, but he started at the bottom of the food chain as a walk-on. Soon, things changed, as his first collegiate touch turned into a 46-yard rushing touchdown against UTEP. After a promising freshman campaign, Freeman clearly earned a much-deserved scholarship.

“It was definitely a long process,” Freeman noted. “Coming in as a walk-on, you’re not a scholarship guy, so they don’t look at you as talented. You really have to prove yourself. You have to do a lot of extra stuff just to be considered for the rotation with all the scholarship guys. It was challenging, for sure, but I wouldn’t change anything about it.”

After spending his freshman and sophomore seasons in Norman, he followed in his grandfather Ron's footsteps and transferred to Oklahoma State. In Stillwater, Freeman played for legendary coach Mike Gundy. Freeman, though, was the ultimate competitor and put winning before anything. Unfortunately, wins were hard to come by for the Pokes, as they racked up a 4-18 record across 2024 and 2025.

“It was tough because, as a team, you’re always putting in effort,” Freeman said of his time at Oklahoma State. “You’re always trying, and then you don’t see results on the field. It does suck, but you just have to keep your spirits high. That’s what we were trying to do.”

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Following Baylor’s 45-27 win over Oklahoma State in Stillwater last September, head coach Dave Aranda approached Gavin Freeman after the game.

Despite Oklahoma State’s struggles, Freeman had caught the attention of many opposing coaches while playing for the Pokes. After Baylor’s 45-27 win over Oklahoma State in Stillwater last September, Aranda approached Freeman to show his respect for the intensity he brought to the game.

“I remember after the [OSU] game [last year] speaking with him about just how impressed I was with him and what he means to his team,” Aranda said of Freeman. “To have him on our team is just a crazy, crazy world now. But those words I said to him are still true now. It's just that he's with us, and so his energy is infectious. He has a huge, huge chip on his shoulder, and that's leaking off to other guys, and it's a good thing.”

That conversation planted a seed.

“He came up to me after that game, and I thought it was cool,” he said. “Afterward, I told my parents that Coach Aranda had come up to me after the game, and he told me I was a really good player. It was cool because he was so genuine.”

A couple of months later, Freeman entered the transfer portal with an extra season of eligibility after redshirting in 2024 and landed in Waco in mid-January. From the jump, Freeman felt the love and appreciation within the Baylor program, and it gave him a ton of confidence to be himself.

“This is probably the first place I’ve been in college where I know they value me, especially with Spav, seeing the positions he puts me in,” Freeman said. “It means so much as a player. If I could go back and tell my younger self anything, I’d say, ‘You have to know when you’re valued.’ It’s hard to know, but you have to know, and you just have to go with that. Your college career will feel a lot better.”

He later added, “If you have someone who believes in you and you know they won’t just throw you to the side, that’s probably the top feeling you need to have.”

With Baylor’s entire coaching staff in his corner, Freeman’s been allowed to thrive in offensive coordinator Jake Spavital’s system. Across the first four games of the season, Freeman is tied for the nation’s lead in total receptions (35) and leads the Bears in receiving yards (364).

“I would say I dreamed about it, but it’s always been something on my mind,” Freeman said of leading the country in catches. “All the work I put in, it’s what I’ve been chasing my whole career, just because I’ve seen guys do it, like Drake Stoops and Brennan Presley. It’s always been something I’ve wanted to do, and it’s really cool.”

Jack Mackenzie - SicEm365.com

Across the first four games of the season, Freeman is tied for the nation’s lead in total receptions (35) and leads the Bears in receiving yards (364).

Freeman also doesn’t believe he’d be where he is without his faith. It’s allowed him to avoid being overcome by the stress and anxiety that come with playing football at a high level. The tattoos covering Freeman’s upper body serve as a constant reminder. If you look closely enough, Jesus Christ on the cross appears on his right forearm, and Jesus wearing the crown of thorns appears on his left forearm.

“It’s definitely grown more since I’ve gotten to Baylor,” Freeman said of his faith. “The older I’ve gotten, the easier it’s become to let go of any stress. That’s why I like it here a lot, because it’s taught me to be chill and happy with whatever comes. I know it’s already planned out. I don’t ever think ahead. I just let it happen because I know that He’s got a bigger purpose for me, so I just let it flow.”

With NFL aspirations on the horizon, Freeman’s currently focused on being where his feet are. While he does play with a massive chip on his shoulder, he doesn’t feel the need to prove himself to anybody who ever doubted him. Instead, Freeman’s going to go out there on Saturdays and do whatever he can to help his team win, at the only pace he knows: full speed.

“I don’t know if I’m necessarily trying to prove anything to anybody,” Freeman said. “I’m trying to play for my teammates. Everything I’m doing is for my teammates. Every block I make, I put my body on the line for them because I want to win for them and my coaches.”

Freeman and the Bears (3-1, 1-0) will head to Tempe to take on Arizona State (2-1, 1-0) at 9:30 p.m. CDT on Saturday, Oct. 3, at Mountain America Stadium. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN.