Albany Defensive Players To Watch vs. Baylor in Week 1

The Great Danes are coming off a lackluster 2-9 finish at the FCS level in 2021

Things seemed to be trending up in the long-term process for Baylor entering Year 3 of the Dave Aranda era. That's the goal for most programs, but the time it takes to make a dream a reality differs depending on each roster.

Everything that could have gone right for Baylor in 2021 did. The Bears rebounded after a 2-7 start in the first season of the Aranda era to win monumental matchups over programs such as Texas, No. 18 BYU, No. 14 Iowa State, and No. 8 Oklahoma. Behind the arm of quarterback Gerry Bohanon and the play design of offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes, Baylor picked up its first 12-win season in program history.

Baylor begins its quests to make the College Football Playoff in 2022 against FCS Albany. The Great Danes are coming off a 2-9 season with a lackluster defense that struggled to find consistency on any level. Albany also lost its star defensive end Jared Verse to Florida State in the offseason and he led the team in sacks (9.5) and tackles for loss (15.5). 

Could the Great Danes duplicate Appalachian State's Cinderella story at McLane Stadium on Saturday? Be sure to stick with InsidetheBears.com through our season preview series, where we will analyze every opponent on Baylor's schedule in 2022.

Now, on to the Great Danes' defensive players that the Bears should be studying:

DE Anthony Lang

Lang started opposite Verse on the defensive line and arguably was the most consistent player outside of the now-Seminole in the trenches. Last season, he managed to record 42 total tackles, nine tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He is the team leader in sacks among those returning this fall.

LB AJ Mistler 

A three-year starter, Mistler returns for one more season with the program after putting up consistent numbers at middle linebacker. Last season, he finished third on the roster with 61 total tackles and six tackles for loss. He also finished with a team-high 15 total tackles in the season finale loss to Stony Brook. 

LB Jackson Ambush 

As the Great Dane's WILL backer, Ambush was often asked to play in space rather than simply defend the run. He recorded a team-high 97 total tackles to go along with five tackles for loss and four quarterback hits. Ambush was one of two players to also record at least 10 total tackles in one game. 

S Larry Walker Jr. 

The team's top safety, Walker returns to Albany after being arguably the second-best defender on the roster. Last season, he shined when playing against Syracuse, recording a career-best eight tackles while intercepting quarterback Garrett Shrader. For his career, Walker has recorded 66 total tackles and nine pass deflections. 

CB Christian Lewis 

Lewis started in nines games for the Great Danes last season and recorded 33 total tackles. He also worked reps on special teams as Albany's secondary kickoff returner, averaging 17 yards per return on four kickoffs. 

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