
Travion Barnes Is Baylor’s Veteran Tone-Setter at Linebacker
In the 2026 season, Travion Barnes looks like a high-upside fit for Baylor’s defense: he’s a 6-foot, 247-pound fifth-year linebacker, a preseason All-Big 12 pick, and a Bednarik Award watch-list candidate after earning C-USA Defensive Player of the Year honors at FIU in 2024. His calling card is production and instinct—he posted 129 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, three sacks, two interceptions, and a forced fumble in 2024, then showed early Baylor impact before a 2025 season-ending injury. The big question is health; if he stays on the field, he’s a leader, not just a stat line.






