Baylor defensive end Shawn Oakman will return to the Bears for his senior season in 2015, thus putting any plans to play in the NFL on hold for now. Oakman likely would have been a first-round draft choice had he entered the draft in 2015, but Oakman has his sights on being one of the top picks in the draft, instead of a mid to late first-round option.
“I’m not going nowhere,” Oakman said Monday morning, per The Dallas Morning News. “Baylor’s my school. . . . Baylor’s where I’m supposed to be. Baylor’s where I’m going to finish my (college) career.”
This is very good news for Baylor, which will now have one of the top defensive players in the country back on the field for another run at a Big 12 title, and perhaps a shot at the College Football Playoff.
Baylor defensive coordinator Phil Bennett was surprised to hear Oakman make his decision public, but was instrumental in the decision-making process.
“I’ve been honest with him,” Bennett said. “Another year, he could be one of those top-five picks. He’s still raw. This is his first year to start. He’s still maturing.”
Oakman still developing should be a scary thought for any team in the Big 12.