Phillip Baynes Jr. brings speed, physicality, and proven playmaking to LIU’s linebacker room
Baynes Jr. is a high-motor linebacker who has already shown disruptive upside, with **5 tackles in 2025** at LIU and a track record of impact plays from his previous stop, including **51 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 15 QB hurries, and 11 tackles for loss in 2022** at NIU.[1][2] He also won the **men’s triple jump** at an LIU track meet in February 2026, a strong indicator of burst and lower-body explosion.[9] For a team looking for an active defender with athletic range, special-teams upside, and a history of production, he fits as an energetic, versatile piece rather than just a box-score linebacker.[2][9]
