Ryelan Morris

Physical Profile

Listed at 5-10, 185 on Baylor's 2026 roster (181 in spring, up from 5-9, 160 when he first committed in 2024), so he has added roughly 20-25 pounds in two years and still projects as a compact, scatback-type frame rather than a between-the-tackles workhorse. The athleticism is legitimate and measured: 10.58 100m and 21.91 200m as a junior, 19-10 long jump, third in the Texas 2A 100m final and second in the 200m final as a sophomore. That translates to true breakaway speed and the ability to win the edge, but the frame is why 247Sports lists him as an ATH (No. 15 nationally, No. 38 in Texas, 91 rating) rather than a pure RB, and why his coaches have said he still needs to keep gaining weight.

Play Style

A one-cut, hit-the-crease-and-go runner whose game is built on acceleration and open-field elusiveness rather than power. In Honey Grove's offense he was the entire attack, taking direct snaps, running the read game, and lining up wide, and defenses still could not contain him (10.5 yards per carry). Hall's spring scouting checklist ('shifty, strong, tough, smart') fits the tape: he wins with a sudden first step, decisive vision on outside zone and sweep concepts, and the speed to turn any seam into a touchdown. He is a natural catch-and-run threat out of the backfield and slot, which is why Baylor is cross-training him there.

Strengths

• Elite, track-verified top-end speed: 10.58 100m/21.91 200m places him among the fastest backs in the 2026 class, and Baylor RB coach Khenon Hall's first spring words were 'He's electric, he's flashy. He got great top-end speeds.'
• Explosive production efficiency: as a junior he averaged 10.53 yards per carry (1,200 yards, 26 TD in only 8 games), then rushed for 2,113 yards and 36 total touchdowns as a senior, winning All-Red River Valley MVP and leading Honey Grove to a 10-2 record and an undefeated district title.
• Genuine positional flexibility: played RB, QB (22-of-54, 340 yds as a junior; 888 yds, 10 TD passing as a sophomore) and WR (9-166-2 as a junior) in high school, and Baylor has already floated slot and return-game roles. 247Sports' Gabe Brooks projected him as a 'flexible offensive weapon' with a KaVontae Turpin comparison.
• Intangibles: Hall described him as 'really, really, really smart' and 'an unbelievable kid,' which matters for a player who needs to master pass protection and a full pro-style playbook to see the field.

Areas to Improve

• Pass protection and playbook mastery: Hall explicitly named both as the gates to playing time, and with Pendergrass entrenched and Jacorey Watson also on the two-deep, Morris is not expected to carry a big 2026 workload.
• Frame and contact balance: at 185 pounds, sustaining a Big 12 between-the-tackles role means adding another 10-15 pounds without losing the 10.5 speed; the 247Sports evaluation flagged the limited frame as the primary reason his rating trails his production.
• Level-of-competition translation: every high school number came against Texas 2A defenses. His 2024 junior year was also shortened (8 games) for reasons not confirmed publicly, so his durability over a full college season is untested.

College Projection

Year 1 (2026): rotational back and situational space player behind Dawson Pendergrass, with the most likely early touches coming via jet/screen packages, slot snaps and kick or punt returns rather than a full RB rotation. Year 2-3: as pass protection catches up and weight settles in the 190-195 range, he profiles as the change-of-pace lead in Jake Spavital's tempo offense and one of the Big 12's most dangerous open-field weapons. His ceiling is a 1,000-yard-from-scrimmage hybrid RB/slot who touches the ball 12-18 times per game in multiple ways, not a 250-carry bell cow.

NFL Outlook

Day 3 draft potential with real upside if he sustains the speed at 190+ pounds. The NFL comp is a KaVontae Turpin / gadget-and-return archetype: 5-10, sub-4.4 backs with receiving chops and return value get drafted as offensive weapons (Rounds 4-6). What would move him into Day 2 territory is proving he can handle a full-season Power Four workload with pass-protection reliability, because size-limited scatbacks are typically drafted on special-teams and third-down value. His verified 100m speed gives him a combine floor most backs his size do not have.

Best Fit

A spread, tempo offense that manufactures touches in space rather than a downhill gap scheme. Baylor under Spavital is a reasonable fit: outside zone, jet motion, screens and empty sets that let him work against linebackers and safeties one-on-one. The programs that recruited him hardest (Oregon, USC, Oklahoma, Stanford) all wanted him for the same reason: a return man and slot/RB hybrid who can flip field position with one touch. He is maximized by a staff willing to build a specific package for him early rather than waiting for him to win a traditional RB job.