College Football 2011 Preview: The Top 20 Players in the Big 12
Colorado, it's been fun.
Nebraska, it was nice knowing you.
Yes, the Big 12 is now down to ten teams after the departures of Colorado, who jumped ship for the trendy new Pac-12, and Nebraska, who couldn't pass up the dollar signs that the Big Ten was offering.
It's a league that seemingly came to the brink of extinction last summer, yet somehow stayed intact.
The Big 12 will now mold itself into one super league devoid of divisions, which should be an interesting transition to follow this season.
Oklahoma is the clear cut favorite of the conference, but the Sooners will have their fare share of tests along the way.
Texas is hungry to restore their reputation, Texas A&M is eager to prove they can compete for a conference crown and Oklahoma State is sick of being the in-state little brother.
It should be a fun ride this year, so let's have a look at some of the top players in the conference for the upcoming season.
1. QB Landry Jones, Oklahoma
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Oklahoma fans must still be wondering what could have been if QB Sam Bradford hadn’t gone down with a season ending injury in 2009.
Bradford’s injury could have actually been a blessing in disguise though.
It allowed incumbent quarterback Landry Jones to get nearly a full season’s worth of experience under his belt while working out all of his first year kinks.
Jones struggled with consistency in his first season as a starter, but he took what he learned into 2010 and ended up having a sensational showing as a sophomore.
The 6'’4’’ 220 lb. junior led the country with 405 completions and finished the year with over 4,700 yards passing and 38 TDs.
If Jones can lead the Sooners to the title game, he should find himself sitting in New York as a Heisman finalist.
2. WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State
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Dez who?
Justin Blackmon rose from relative anonymity to become one of college football’s biggest breakout stars in 2010, helping Oklahoma State fans forget about former troubled star receiver Dez Bryant.
Blackmon shined in Dana Holgorsen’s high flying attack, leading the nation with 20 touchdown catches and finishing the year with 111 receptions for over 1,700 yards.
After opting to pass up the chance to enter the NFL Draft, the defending Biletnikoff Award winner will now enter this season as a favorite to repeat. But we'll have to see how the junior fares without Holgorsen calling the shots.
3. WR Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma
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Ryan Broyles proved to be one of college football’s most dangerous offensive weapons last season, leading all receivers with 131 catches.
Oklahoma will likely be on the short list for national championship contenders going into the 2011 season, and it will be Broyles, a likely future first round draft pick, who could be the difference maker in the team's quest for a title.
The Landry Jones to Ryan Broyles connection is one of the deadliest in the country, and if the two can continue to produce at their 2010 pace, a run to the big game is a definite possibility.
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4. LB Keenan Robinson, Texas
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Say what you will about the struggles of Texas last season, but one thing you can’t do is point the finger at the defense.
The Longhorns led the Big 12 in total defense in 2010 and allowed less than 24 points per game.
The defense loses some key heart and soul players like DE Sam Acho from last season, but the unit has a returning leader in linebacker Keenan Robinson.
Robinson, a legitimate NFL prospect, finished last season as the team leader with 106 tackles and will likely be even more dominant in 2011.
5. QB Robert Griffin III, Baylor
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Baylor fans, it’s time to rejoice, hope is in the air in Waco.
Robert Griffin III, or as the trendy kids like to call him, RG3, has basically single-handedly carried the Bears back to respectability.
Griffin returned in 2010 after a knee injury robbed him of most of his second season and led Baylor to a bowl game for the first time in over 15 years.
The dual threat star totaled over 4,000 yards of offense and accounted for 30 TDs.
If you're looking for a Heisman darkhorse this season, then look no further than Robert Griffin III.
6. OT Kelechi Osemele, Iowa State
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Ames, Iowa isn’t normally a popular stop for NFL scouts, but you can bet that the pro personnel folks are going to have the home of the Cyclones on their travel agenda this season.
They’ll all be flocking to get a good look at 6’5’’ 300 lb. offensive tackle Kelechi Osemele.
Osemele, one of the top linemen in the country, hasn’t gotten the exposure he deserves playing for a team that never gets any national attention, but the athletic big man has a good chance to really stamp his name on the college football map in 2011.
7. LB Travis Lewis, Oklahoma
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Travis Lewis could have made the jump to the NFL after his junior season and probably been a second or third round pick. However, after weighing his options and realizing that he had the opportunity to not only improve his stock with one more season but also make a run at a national title as well, Lewis made the right call.
The Sooners couldn’t be happier to have him back.
Lewis, who led the team with 109 tackles in 2010, will once again be the undisputed leader of an Oklahoma defense that could be one of the best in college football this season.
8. CB Coryell Judie, Texas A&M
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You would be lying if you said that the Texas A&M secondary was stellar in 2010 because they were far from it, but they did happen to have one standout player in CB Coryell Judie.
Judie, a former top JUCO recruit, was phenomenal at times last season, displaying the type of athleticism and coverage skills you would want out of your top cornerback.
The 5'11 185 lb. senior is one of the gems of his class and he should be a high pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.
9. WR Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M
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Jeff Fuller, we’re waiting for you to put a full season of consistency together.
If Fuller, who finished the 2010 season with over 1,000 receiving yards and 12 TDs, can stay healthy and not fade down the stretch, two problems that have plagued him over the last two seasons, then he could turn out to be an All-American performer.
That’s still a big if, though.
10. TE Michael Egnew, Missouri
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Quick, name the top five tight ends in college football.
Um. OK, it’s true, tight end is not a marquee position in today’s day and age of spread offenses, but there are a few hybrid players who are still keeping the position afloat.
Missouri’s Michael Egnew is one of them.
You could make the case that the 6’6’’ 235 lb. Egnew is just an oversized wide receiver. Alright, but is there really anything wrong with that?
After Egnew’s 90 catch performance in 2010, I can assure you that Missouri fans have no complaints.
11. RB Cyrus Gray, Texas A&M
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The senior running back class was absolutely decimated by early entrants for the 2011 NFL Draft, but there are a few holdovers with some great ability.
Cyrus Gray, who rushed for over 1,100 yards in 2010, is one of the few senior backs who should keep NFL scouts intrigued this season.
The 5’10’’ 195 lb. Gray will team with fellow backfield mate Christine Michael to form one of the most potent running back tandems in all of college football this season.
12. CB Jamell Fleming, Oklahoma
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Jamell Fleming is the wildcard on this list.
Right now, nobody knows what’s going on with Fleming, who was suspended for the spring due to academic reasons, and it’s still up in the air as to whether he’ll even play this season.
If Fleming does play in 2011, he’ll be the most important player for a secondary that loses both safety Quinton Carter and cornerback Jonathan Nelson.
Fleming proved to be a ballhawk last season, finishing with five interceptions, which tied for the lead in the conference.
13. QB Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State
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OK Brandon Weeden, time to show us all you weren’t just a product of the system.
Coordinator Dana Holgorsen has moved on to West Virginia, which means Weeden probably won’t be throwing the ball over 500 times this season.
Or does it?
Highly productive RB Kendall Hunter is off to the NFL and the Cowboys do return arguably the nation’s top receiver, Justin Blackmon.
We know Weeden can sling it. His 4,277 passing yards from a year ago is evidence of that. So maybe, just maybe, we’ll see another astonishing performance from one of the Big 12’s most surprising players in 2010.
14. DT Kheeston Randall, Texas
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In recent years, Texas defensive linemen have had a habit of failing to meet expectations.
Frank Okam, Tim Crowder, the list goes on, but one Longhorn lineman who looks like he’ll finally live up to the hype is DT Kheeston Randall.
Randall, a 6’5’’ 295 lb. senior, will be the focal point of the Texas front four this year after tallying 10 tackles for loss last season.
Randall has all the traits—power, strength and agility—you would want in an interior defensive linemen.
15. WR Kendall Wright, Baylor
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Speed, that’s the name of Kendall Wright’s game.
The former high school track star has made a habit of blowing by defensive backs over the last three years.
Wright has led Baylor in receiving in each of his three seasons. He's already accumulated 194 catches, over 2,300 receiving yards and 18 TDs for his career.
He’s one of my personal favorite prospects in the 2012 NFL Draft class, and I wouldn't be surprised if he challenged Justin Blackmon and Ryan Broyles for top WR honors in the conference in 2011.
16. DE Jacquies Smith, Missouri
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Aldon Smith, we hardly knew you.
Smith, a supremely gifted athletic pass rusher, only gave Missouri two years of his time, but you can’t blame him for striking while the NFL iron was hot.
Luckily for the Tigers, they’ll have another talented Smith coming off the edge this season in the form of Jacquies Smith.
Jacquies, a 6’4’’ 250 lb. senior, finished the 2010 season with 5.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss and will now team with fellow end Brad Madison to form one of the deadliest defensive duos in the country this season.
17. DT Jamarkus McFarland, Oklahoma
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Nobody is expecting Jamarkus McFarland to turn into the next Gerald McCoy, but it wouldn't necessarily be surprising if McFarland enjoys a breakout junior campaign similar to the former Sooner.
McFarland, a former five star recruit, will be counted on heavily to be an inside force for the Oklahoma defense in 2011.
The 6’3’’ 295 lb. junior only racked up five tackles for loss in 2010, but McFarland possess a world of untapped potential and he’s capable of taking his game to the next level this year.
18. WR T.J. Moe, Missouri
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T.J. Moe was Mr. Reliable last season, leading the Tigers with 92 catches for over 1,000 yards.
The 6’0’’ 190 lb. junior may not be the biggest or the fastest receiver that you’ll ever lay your eyes on, but he knows how to find open spaces in the defense and he catches pretty much everything thrown in his direction.
Moe showed that he could be a legitimate producer in his first season taking major snaps and he should be a valuable target for Missouri's new quarterback, whether it be James Franklin or Tyler Gabbert, this season.
19. S Ty Zimmerman, Kansas State
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It’s been an odd rise to the top for Ty Zimmerman.
Zimmerman, who was expected to redshirt last year before competing at the quarterback position, was far too impressive in spring practices to keep off the field. So the coaching staff moved him to the defensive side of the ball, and the rest is history.
One dazzling season and a conference defensive freshman of the year award later, and here Zimmerman stands as one of the faces of the Kansas State football team.
Zimmerman is one of those players who makes a habit of defying expectations.
Those are the type of guys you just can’t help but root for.
20. LB Garrick Williams, Texas A&M
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Von Miller, a likely top five pick in this year’s NFL Draft, will no doubt be missed in College Station, but that doesn’t mean all hope is lost.
Senior LB Garrick Williams, who finished the 2010 season with 112 tackles, is an impact player capable of filling the void Miller leaves.
Williams is a tough inside presence who gives the Aggies defense an intimidating force in the middle of the field.
The 6’2’’ 235 lb. senior can’t pressure passers like his former teammate, but he’s the type of player who can keep a defense glued together.
Honorable Mention
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QB Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M
WR Kenny Stills, Oklahoma
OT Levy Adcock, Oklahoma State
DE Brad Madison, Missouri
LB Emmanuel Acho, Texas
OT Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M
S Cody Davis, Texas Tech
LB Jake Knott, Iowa State
OG Lonnie Edwards, Texas Tech
DE Frank Alexander, Oklahoma
CB David Garrett, Kansas State
OT Elvis Fisher, Missouri
RB Eric Stephens, Texas Tech
OG Ivory Wade, Baylor
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