#12

Kelsey Johnson

TE · Baylor · Jr. · #12

Returning to Baylor for 2026
This season's coverage starts August 26 — check back once kickoff hits.

Kelsey Johnson

TE · Baylor · Jr · #12

Limited signal — not enough coverage for a story yet.

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
★★★
#545 national
CFB
College
Baylor
2022–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

Coaching Lineage · 2022–2025

1 coach
2022
2023
2024
2025

Played his entire career under Dave Aranda.

2025 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2022Baylor6-7HC: Dave Aranda · Run-leaning
2023Baylor3-9HC: Dave Aranda · Balanced
2024Baylor8-5HC: Dave Aranda · Run-leaning
2025Baylor5-7HC: Dave Aranda · Pass-leaning, fast tempo

Career stats

SeasonTeam
2025Baylor33311.00--
2024Baylor----------
2023Baylor11807.30--
2022Baylor9616.81--
Career231747.61--

How he plays

Play style

Shows up in the passing game from any alignment.

CFB Index positional classification

2026 Outlook

Baylor

2026 Depth chart

Projected starter

Tight end · Baylor

Returning around him

  • 82% of 2024 offensive production back (Strong continuity)
  • 2 Baylor players drafted to NFL
  • Transfer portal: -1 net (31 in / 32 out)

2026 Award watch

No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)

Baylor · Last season: 5-7 · Talent rank #35 · 2026 recruiting class #57

DNA match

Player DNA

Complete TE

No single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike.

TE

His 2023 production profile sits closest to AJ Lewis’s 2021 season.

AJ Lewis

78%match

Troy · 2021

#2

Brady Russell

Colorado · 2022

74%
#3

Emmanuel Stevenson

Arkansas State · 2022

74%
#4

Tyneil Hopper

Boise State · 2022

71%
#5

Tristen Tewes

Northern Illinois · 2021

71%

Matches AJ on

Height
Weight
Total EPA (college ability)

Differs from AJ on

Yards / reception (higher)

Not enough data yet for this comparison.

As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Emmanuel Stevenson's sophomore season at Arkansas State (2022).

Arkansas State · 2022

#2

AJ Lewis

Troy · 2021

85%
#3

Rico Walker

Purdue · 2025

84%
#4

Jordan Williams

Ball State · 2021

83%
#5

Ben Ratzlaff

Western Kentucky · 2021

82%

Matches Emmanuel on

Reception volume
EPA / play (adj)
Weight

Differs from Emmanuel on

Class year (lower)

Heisman trajectory

Heisman futures · sportsbook market

#30 in market ▼ from #23 · 5 books

+50002.0% implied▲ tightened from +6600

Heisman Trajectory · 2025

Peak #1697

Final rank
#2741
Avg #2368.7
Finalist prob 0%

Peaked at #1697 this season.

Development

Development Trajectory · receiving yards

2022–2025
61.02022
80.02023
33.02025

-46%

Sharp dropoff (-46%) — career inflection point.