Eleven Bears Included on Shriners Children’s 1000 Watch List
7/20/2026 2:05:00 PM | Football
BU upperclassmen part of East-West Bowl player pool
WACO, Texas – Eleven Baylor football upperclassmen have been included on the 2027 Shriners Children's 1000 Watch List, as announced Monday by the Shriners Children's East-West Bowl.
Travion Barnes, DJ Lagway, Tony Livingston, Dawson Pendergrass, Jacob Redding, Kaden Sieracki, Devonte Tezino, LeVar Thornton Jr., Devin Turner, Hosea Wheeler and Palmer Williams are among the 1,000 players named to this year's preseason watch list.
The Shriners Children's 1000 is designed to highlight players' achievements as well as their future NFL potential. The list builds the foundation and starting point for deciding who will participate in the 2027 Shriners Children's East-West Bowl. Prospects from all four levels of college football are included on this year's watch list.
A product of Almonte Springs, Fla., and former transfer from FIU, Barnes returns for the 2026 after seeing his 2025 campaign cut short due to an injury he suffered in Week Four. Barnes joined the Bears after starring as the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 for the Panthers, where he ranked fifth nationally in total tackles (129) and third in tackles per game (11.7).
Lagway enters his first season as BU's signal caller after spending his first two seasons at Florida, where he was a consensus Freshman All-American in 2024. In 24 career games with 19 starts, Lagway has thrown for 4,179 yards and 28 touchdowns, while adding 237 yards and a TD on the ground.
Also coming from Florida, Livingston joins the Bears with 23 career receptions and 232 receiving yards. He has caught four touchdowns in his collegiate career, including two in 2025.
After missing the entire 2025 season due to an injury he suffered in preseason camp, Pendergrass readies for the 2026 slate as BU's lead running back. He has amassed 1,009 rushing yards in two seasons with 11 career touchdowns.
A breakout star in 2025, Redding enters the year with 65 career tackles under his belt. He racked up 53 stops a year ago and added three interceptions, including a 66-yard return for a touchdown in the win against Kansas State.
Sieracki started all 12 games for BU at right tackle last season, logging 948 snaps and grading out with a 63.0 overall offensive rating. He did not allow a sack on the year and surrendered just two QB hits, helping pave the way for one of the nation's most prolific passing offenses.
A native of nearby Killeen, Texas, Tezino enters his fifth season in Waco with 54 career tackles. He recorded a sack against at Arizona and forced a fumble at TCU as part of a solid 2025 campaign.
Thornton emerged as one of the most reliable cornerbacks in the Big 12 last season, making 11 starts for BU and recording 30 tackles. He broke up a team-high seven passes and snagged one interception in Week 3 against Samford.
A former transfer from Northwestern, Turner is set for his first healthy season with the green and gold after missing 2025 with an injury. He totaled 162 tackles and four interceptions with the Wildcats over the course of 31 career games.
Wheeler comes to Waco after playing in 46 career games with 30 starts and totaling 139 career tackles. He has four sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception in his career and helped Indiana to the 2025 national championship.
One of the nation's top players at his position, Williams was named an All-American and a Ray Guy Award finalist in 2025 after helping the Bears lead the nation in net punting (45.0 yards per game). He was voted as the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year and has already garnered preseason All-America status entering his fourth season.
Baylor has had 71 players all-time participate in the formerly named East-West Shrine Bowl, dating back to 1930. Most recently, Jackie Marshall, a sixth-round pick by the Tennessee Titans, played in the 2025 edition of the bowl game.
The 2027 Shriners Children's East-West Bowl is scheduled for Feb. 4 at 6 p.m. and will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
To stay up to date on all things Baylor football, follow the team on its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BUFootball.
-BaylorBears.com-
Travion Barnes, DJ Lagway, Tony Livingston, Dawson Pendergrass, Jacob Redding, Kaden Sieracki, Devonte Tezino, LeVar Thornton Jr., Devin Turner, Hosea Wheeler and Palmer Williams are among the 1,000 players named to this year's preseason watch list.
The Shriners Children's 1000 is designed to highlight players' achievements as well as their future NFL potential. The list builds the foundation and starting point for deciding who will participate in the 2027 Shriners Children's East-West Bowl. Prospects from all four levels of college football are included on this year's watch list.
A product of Almonte Springs, Fla., and former transfer from FIU, Barnes returns for the 2026 after seeing his 2025 campaign cut short due to an injury he suffered in Week Four. Barnes joined the Bears after starring as the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 for the Panthers, where he ranked fifth nationally in total tackles (129) and third in tackles per game (11.7).
Lagway enters his first season as BU's signal caller after spending his first two seasons at Florida, where he was a consensus Freshman All-American in 2024. In 24 career games with 19 starts, Lagway has thrown for 4,179 yards and 28 touchdowns, while adding 237 yards and a TD on the ground.
Also coming from Florida, Livingston joins the Bears with 23 career receptions and 232 receiving yards. He has caught four touchdowns in his collegiate career, including two in 2025.
After missing the entire 2025 season due to an injury he suffered in preseason camp, Pendergrass readies for the 2026 slate as BU's lead running back. He has amassed 1,009 rushing yards in two seasons with 11 career touchdowns.
A breakout star in 2025, Redding enters the year with 65 career tackles under his belt. He racked up 53 stops a year ago and added three interceptions, including a 66-yard return for a touchdown in the win against Kansas State.
Sieracki started all 12 games for BU at right tackle last season, logging 948 snaps and grading out with a 63.0 overall offensive rating. He did not allow a sack on the year and surrendered just two QB hits, helping pave the way for one of the nation's most prolific passing offenses.
A native of nearby Killeen, Texas, Tezino enters his fifth season in Waco with 54 career tackles. He recorded a sack against at Arizona and forced a fumble at TCU as part of a solid 2025 campaign.
Thornton emerged as one of the most reliable cornerbacks in the Big 12 last season, making 11 starts for BU and recording 30 tackles. He broke up a team-high seven passes and snagged one interception in Week 3 against Samford.
A former transfer from Northwestern, Turner is set for his first healthy season with the green and gold after missing 2025 with an injury. He totaled 162 tackles and four interceptions with the Wildcats over the course of 31 career games.
Wheeler comes to Waco after playing in 46 career games with 30 starts and totaling 139 career tackles. He has four sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception in his career and helped Indiana to the 2025 national championship.
One of the nation's top players at his position, Williams was named an All-American and a Ray Guy Award finalist in 2025 after helping the Bears lead the nation in net punting (45.0 yards per game). He was voted as the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year and has already garnered preseason All-America status entering his fourth season.
Baylor has had 71 players all-time participate in the formerly named East-West Shrine Bowl, dating back to 1930. Most recently, Jackie Marshall, a sixth-round pick by the Tennessee Titans, played in the 2025 edition of the bowl game.
The 2027 Shriners Children's East-West Bowl is scheduled for Feb. 4 at 6 p.m. and will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
To stay up to date on all things Baylor football, follow the team on its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BUFootball.
-BaylorBears.com-
Players Mentioned
LB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
TE
/ Football
DL
/ Football
RB
/ Football
S
/ Football
OL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
CB
/ Football
S
/ Football
DL
/ Football
P
/ FootballWednesday, July 08
Tuesday, July 07
Tuesday, July 07
Tuesday, July 07
