After landing DJ Lagway, Dave Aranda and his staff spent the past week frantically trying to patch together a receiving corps that had been gutted by departures. But the Bears just flipped that narrative and a rival’s commitment in a major way. Baylor is landing a proven SEC receiver who can immediately step in as the Florida transfer’s primary target. 

Kentucky transfer wide receiver Hardley Gilmore IV has flipped his commitment from archrival Louisville to Baylor. It gives the Bears a much-needed playmaker on the perimeter. The former four-star prospect from Pahokee, Florida, had originally committed to the Cardinals just two days earlier. But Baylor swooped in with a last-minute pitch that convinced Gilmore to change course and head to Waco instead. 

It’s the second time Gilmore has flipped commitments in the portal. He briefly committed to Nebraska last season before returning to Kentucky. But this time, it appears the move is final. Baylor has secured his signature before another program could intervene.​

Gilmore’s 2025 season stats tell the story of a reliable, consistent target who can move the chains and create separation in tight coverage. He hauled in 28 receptions for 313 yards and one touchdown while playing for Kentucky. He emerged as one of Cutter Boley’s more dependable options in the Wildcats’ passing attack. His 11.2 yards per reception average shows he’s not just a possession receiver. Gilmore can stretch defenses vertically and make plays downfield when given the opportunity. 

He posted his best performance against Eastern Michigan with two catches for 48 yards, including a 32-yard gain, and opened the season with two grabs for 54 yards against Ole Miss, showcasing his ability to produce against SEC competition.​ Coming out of Pahokee High School in Belle Glade, Florida, Gilmore was rated as the No. 367 overall recruit in the 2024 cycle according to the Rivals Industry Ranking.

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Gilmore would be an immediate problem solver for the Bears. He gives Lagway a legitimate receiver to lean on in Jake Spavital’s open offense. The Bears’ receiving room currently has sophomore Jadon Porter and senior Louis Brown IV. There are also freshmen, such as Taz Williams, Mason Dossett, and Jacorey Watson, who provide depth, but they still need to develop to achieve proven production. Gilmore brings maturity and physicality that will help Lagway adjust to life in the Big 12. 

Baylor adds more weapons around Lagway

Shortly after flipping Hardley Gilmore from Louisville, the Bears secured another receiver commitment from former Colorado wideout Dre’lon Miller. Miller is a four-star recruit from the 2024 class who spent two turbulent seasons playing for Deion Sanders before entering the portal in mid-December. 

Miller finished his sophomore campaign with 20 catches for 158 yards and a touchdown, though those numbers don’t tell the full story. Colorado moved him to running back midseason due to injuries. And he ended up rushing 50 times for 144 yards while navigating the chaos of a Buffalo offense that never quite found its identity. 

Across two years in Boulder, Miller totaled 52 receptions for 435 yards and four touchdowns, flashing the explosive playmaking ability that made him the No. 141 overall prospect and No. 22 player in Texas when he originally picked Colorado over LSU, Texas A&M, and USC. His versatility adds another dimension to Jake Spavital’s offense. And paired with Gilmore’s SEC experience, Baylor suddenly has two legitimate targets for DJ Lagway to work with.​

On the defensive side, Aranda is capitalizing on his new defensive coordinator, Joe Klanderman’s, Kansas State connections to rebuild a unit that was decimated by portal departures after a 5-7 season. Colby McCalister became the third Wildcats defender to follow Klanderman to Waco. He joined edge rusher Ryan Davis and cornerback Jayden Rowe in what’s becoming a mini-Kansas State reunion tour. With Lagway, Gilmore, Miller, and a steady stream of defensive transfers arriving, the Bears are at least giving themselves a fighting chance to compete in Year 7 of the Aranda era.​