Big 12 Football: The Best 2015 NFL Draft Prospect from Each School
Each and every year, it seems the Big 12 is loaded with quality NFL draft prospects.
While it doesn't necessarily clock out the type of NFL talent that the SEC does, the Big 12 still had two first-round picks and five picks in the first three rounds in the 2014 draft.
The 2014 NFL draft was also the first time since 1937 that the Texas Longhorns failed to have a player selected. That'll surely change with Quandre Diggs and Malcolm Brown this year.
With that, let's check out the best NFL draft prospect from each school in the league.
Baylor: OT Spencer Drango
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Even though Spencer Drango is just a junior, he's still arguably the best NFL prospect the Big 12 has to offer.
He's in charge of protecting Bryce Petty's blind side and is one of the most dominant linemen in the NCAA.
According to Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com, Drango ranks 24th on the big board. The one thing holding him back is whether he is fully recovered from back surgery.
Regardless, should Drango enter the NFL draft at season's end, he'll likely be a first-round pick.
Iowa State: TE E.J. Bibbs
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Iowa State isn't exactly loaded with NFL-caliber skill. But E.J. Bibbs bucks that trend, as he's one of the best tight ends in the country.
Bibbs is on the John Mackey watch list for 2014 primarily for his pass-catching ability. He has soft hands, and it's no secret that the NFL loves tight ends who can provide a quality target for their quarterback.
Last year he caught 39 passes and so far into 2014 has eight catches and a touchdown.
Expect Bibbs to find himself a nice home on Sundays.
Kansas: LB Ben Heeney
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One of the most under-the-radar players in the Big 12 may very well be its best defender.
Linebacker Ben Heeney of the Kansas Jayhawks doesn't get the credit he deserves because of the name on the front of his jersey, but that doesn't mean he isn't drawing at least some love from NFL scouts.
Heeney plays with a Zach Thomas-esque approach and a relentless pursuit that NFL teams will love. Already through just two games in 2014, Heeney has 26 tackles.
At just 6'0", Heeney is a tad undersized. But there have been plenty of undersized linebackers make it in the league, and Heeney could very well be one of them.
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Kansas State: C B.J. Finney
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B.J. Finney arrived in Manhattan as a walk-on. He'll leave as arguably its best center eligible for the NFL draft.
The active leader in career starts at the position in the Big 12, Finney has been rock-solid since he took the starting job as a center.
At 6'4" and 303 pounds, Finney also has the perfect build for an NFL lineman.
You might be wondering, why isn't Tyler Lockett the Wildcats' best NFL draft prospect?
The answer is his size. At 5'11" and 175 pounds, that'll put him behind the eight ball in the eyes of NFL scouts. Lockett certainly has the drive to make in the league, but he'll need the right system and the right chances.
Oklahoma: DE Charles Tapper
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With the size of a defensive end and the speed of a linebacker, Charles Tapper could be one of the most coveted defensive prospects next spring should he make the leap to the NFL.
As just a junior, Tapper is one of the Big 12's most feared defenders and arguably the best player on the Sooners defense. Through the early stages of this year, Tapper already has seven tackles, including a sack. And that's with defenses doing everything they can to contain him.
Should Tapper leave Norman early and join the NFL ranks, he could very well be a first-round pick.
Oklahoma State: DT James Castleman
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Ranked as the 153rd overall player in the 2015 NFL draft by CBS Sports, Castleman is a beast in the trenches who should find a home on fall Sundays next year.
Last year, he led the Cowboys' interior linemen with 33 tackles.
At 6'2" and 300 pounds, Castleman certainly has the physical attributes to make it in the NFL.
TCU: CB Kevin White
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Last year, White led the Horned Frogs with three fumble recoveries and recorded three picks. He was also an honorable mention All-Big 12 member.
In 2014, White is continuing to bolster an elite TCU secondary that also includes safety Sam Carter.
He started 24 games his first two years in Fort Worth, and any defensive back that gets who much time against Big 12 wideouts is bound to have developed NFL-type skill.
Ranked as just the 22nd-best cornerback by CBS Sports, White may not be a high draft pick. But if he has a quality season in 2014, he should find a home in the NFL.
Texas: CB Quandre Diggs
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Everything is in place for Diggs to be an elite member of an NFL secondary.
For starters, his pedigree includes his brother, Quentin Jammer.
Secondly, Diggs has been one of the best playmakers in the Big 12 since his freshman season. He entered the 2014 campaign as Texas' active leader in pass breakups (32) and interceptions (8).
At 5'10" and 200 pounds, Diggs could stand to put a little meat on his bones. But make no mistake—Diggs will be one of the best sleepers this draft has to offer if he doesn't go in the first two rounds.
Texas Tech: OL Le'Raven Clark
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A versatile offensive lineman who can play both tackle and guard, Le'Raven Clark is a prototypical NFL offensive lineman.
Clark, a junior, would need to leave early to make the league for 2015. But he's still the Red Raiders' best prospect for this year's draft.
Clark is massive at 6'6" and 313 pounds, and NFL teams love a lineman who's agile and versatile. Clark fits that mold to a "T."
West Virginia: WR Kevin White
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Who else can't wait for Kevin White of WVU to lineup against Kevin White of TCU?
While White shares the name of another member of this list, the WVU star wideout has earned his way into the NFL draft conversation with his play this season.
Sports Illustrated's Chris Burke listed White as one of his risers in the draft after racking up 32 catches for 460 yards in WVU's first three games.
Not only is White breaking out, but the Mountaineers are 2-1 and looking like a contender in the Big 12.
Expect White to continue helping WVU to renewed success in 2014, followed by a draft selection in 2015.
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