Fifteen for '20: Baylor's fastest players in 2020

In this “Fifteen for ‘20” series, SicEm365’s Colt Barber examines a variety of topics related directly to Baylor’s 2020 football season. Today he looks at the fastest players on Baylor’s 2020 roster. 

• Top pure athletes on Baylor’s 2020 roster
• Baylor’s top future NFL Draft Prospects
• Baylor’s top individual offensive skill matchups
• Top three players of Baylor’s five classifications
• Bears primed for a breakout season

15. Running Back, Taye McWilliams

McWilliams was already listed on the top athletes on Baylor’s roster for ‘20 so it shouldn’t be a surprise that he’s made his way on this list. McWilliams only has one official time that brings him to this list, and there might be some players who are faster than him on the roster, but with his size, the official 4.49-second laser time from The Opening is dang impressive. 

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Qualan Jones has made his mark on multiple lists this summer. 

14. Running Back, Qualan Jones

Like McWilliams, Jones is one of the top athletes on Baylor’s roster for ‘20. And he’s one spot ahead of McWilliams because his 40 from The Opening was slightly better at 4.48 seconds. He also has a long touchdown run in his career where he showed off that speed. Oh, and he’s roughly 30 pounds heavier as well. 

13. Wide Receiver, Seth Jones

Jones is the second true freshman on this list and rightfully so. If I put McWilliams on here for running a 4.49, I couldn’t leave Jones off who ran a 4.47 on laser. Jones also posted terrific times at Baylor’s camp last summer that impressed the Baylor staff enough to give him an offer shortly after. Jones was offered by Texas A&M at corner because of that same speed, but playing receiver was his choice. 

12. Safety, JT Woods

Hurdlers don’t always get the respect the deserve when it comes to speed, but Woods is plenty fast and shouldn’t be overlooked. Woods was a terrific high school hurdler and took that to Baylor with him when he won the Baylor Invitational in 2019 with a personal best 14.19-seconds in the 110-meter hurdles. He also posted a 10.61-second 100-meter time at the USC Trojan Invitational last spring as well. 

11. Wide Receiver, Gavin Holmes

Before a couple of knee injuries, Holmes was considered one of the faster wide receivers on the team. To give credit where credit is due, I will still honor his 4.43-second 40-yard dash prior to his senior year of high school. Holmes was off to a solid start in his career before a significant knee injury in 2017 and if he can fully recover from a second ACL injury last fall, he is one that can make plays with his speed.  

10. Safety, Jairon McVea

The former walk-on was undervalued out of George Ranch High School despite being incredibly productive. McVea earned a scholarship under Matt Rhule and that came after significant praise of his work ethic and his 4.3 speed. We will have to take Rhule’s word for it, but McVea was always discussed as one of the fastest players on the team the last three years. 

9. Running Back, Trestan Ebner

We know Ebner has the ability to take it to the house from anywhere on the field and we know that he posted a 4.40-second 40-yard dash at The Opening in high school. He’s been consistent in the 4.4s since arriving at Baylor and his speed might actually be better with the pads on than with them off when comparing him to anyone else on the team. 

8. Wide Receiver, Jaylen Ellis

Before Jaylen Ellis blew up on the scene nationally, Shawn Bell knew all about his speed when Ellis showed up at a Baylor camp. Ellis posted back-to-back 4.3s in the 40-yard dash in front of the staff and never looked back. Ellis only ran a 4.59 at The Opening regional, but that was the outlier in his testing during his career. 

7. Cornerback, Raleigh Texada

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Raleigh Texada has seen success on the field and on the track during his time at Baylor. 

Texada was a consistent 10.5 100-meter runner in high school and set a personal record of 21.38 in the 200-meters. Texada matched that 21.38 during his time with the Baylor track team as well in 2019. Texada has flashed his speed on the football field at opportune times as well, including chasing down a Texas Tech player from behind to save a touchdown in the 2019 season. 

6. Running Back, Craig Williams

His personal best in the 100-meters was 10.48 seconds in high school and he posted a 4.36 40-yard dash at The Opening, but he makes his living on the football field where his speed and elusiveness was incredible in high school. Baylor fans saw a bit of that electricity back in 2018, but Williams still has four years of eligibility remaining to show off his football speed.  

5. Wide Receiver, Josh Fleeks

Fleeks ran anchor leg for Cedar Hill’s 40.08 4x100 team his senior season of high school, ran a personal best 10.46 in the 100 meters and ran a 4.48-second laser time in the 40-yard dash at The Opening. The better news? He has posted plenty of lower times since arriving at Baylor. 

4. Wide Receiver, Jackson Gleeson

Gleeson’s personal record of 21.14 in the 200 meters came during his sophomore year in high school and he followed that up with a 21.18 in his first meet of his junior year. Injuries, however, kept him from fulfilling his potential on the track. The good news is that his speed has always translated well to the football field as well and earned him an offer from a number of Power 5 programs.

3. Cornerback, Mark Milton

If Milton wasn’t playing football, he’d definitely be running track at a major program somewhere. Milton was a 21.50-second 200 meter speedster in high school but when Matt Rhule’s staff found him he focused primarily on football. Milton’s athletic ability translated well and he has been considered among the fastest on the team since arriving in 2018. Not to mention he posted a 10.50-second 100 meter for the Baylor track team in 2019. 

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Kalon Barnes and Tyquan Thornton are tied at the top for the fastest player on Baylor’s 2020 roster. 

t-1. Cornerback, Kalon Barnes

If Barnes was on any other team, he’d very likely be standing alone at No. 1 on this list. Barnes won the adidas Boys’ Dream 100 meters over Auburn receiver Anthony Schwartz with a 10.34-second time following his senior year of high school. Schwartz is believed to be the fastest player in college football and Barnes bested him head-to-head. He posted a 10.39 in the 100-meter dash for Baylor’s track team in 2019.

t-1. Wide Receiver, Tyquan Thornton

No matter who you talk to, Thornton’s name is always on the top of the list as far as the fastest player on the team goes along with Barnes. And that’s an impressive feat considering Barnes has potential to be a world class sprinter. Thornton was an elite sprinter in high school as well holding several prestigious offers on the track as well, but his football speed is also elite. Thornton posted a career best 21.06 in the 200 meters in high school and regularly runs in the low 4.3s at Baylor.